Some schools in Nepal reopened on May 31, about one month after two horrifying earthquakes devastated the Himalayan country. Students had been taking non-academic classes on the playgrounds or in temporary classrooms that were deemed safe. Officials’ goal was to help students overcome traumas caused by the catastrophes and become accustomed again to school.

Schools were originally supposed to begin on May 17. But five days before they reopened, another earthquake occurred, postponing the schedule. Parents felt ambivalent: They were worried about the earthquake’s aftermath but also hoped that their children would feel better after being reunited with their friends, whom they had longed for.

Approximately one million Nepali students have not been able to go to school. Almost 24,000 classrooms were damaged or destroyed. Tomoo Hozumi, UNICEF’s representative in Nepal, is concerned about the education system in Nepal, saying “Schools in emergencies - even in a temporary setup - play a vital role. …There is a desperate need to set up alternative learning spaces, assess and repair buildings.”

May Nepal and its citizens recover from this tragic disaster as soon as possible.

Tony Jang
Staff Reporter
(tonyjang@timescore.co.kr)