The Ministry for Education, Heritage and Arts wishes to inform the Heads of schools, managements, teachers, parents and students to ensure safety as we prepare for Tropical Cyclone Harold.
Heads of schools are encouraged to work in line with their District and Divisional Education Offices and the National Disaster Management Office to prepare for TC Harold, a category four system.
School Managers are advised to comply with the requests of the Divisional Education Office should schools be assigned as evacuation centres. Also to ensure schools are well secured and the cyclone preparedness is conducted without breaching the COVID-19 restrictions.
Minister Akbar is asking parents to be proactive and adhere to the weather forecasts and news updates to take refuge in the evacuation centres without risking life. We need to ensure while in the evacuation centres people take their own beddings and basic items to avoid sharing, maintain basic hygiene and practice social distancing.
Keep a strong watch on your children and remind them to stay away from strangers who may be sexual predators. Students are also sternly reminded to display strong ethical and moral standards as well as well ingrained civic pride in evacuation centres displaying a strong upbringing.
Minister Akbar urges parents and guardians to ensure children are kept indoors during this time and refrain from playing in flooded drains, creeks and rivers. The safety and emotional wellbeing of our children is paramount and we cannot risk it. All our combined efforts must be geared towards our health and safety.
“There are 101 things for parents and children to do together during these trying times and the extended school holidays, this is the time for family bonding and making lasting memories through interactive and interesting indoor activities and games,” says the Hon. Minister. She urges parents to teach skills and values, cooking and cleaning, traditional art forms, reading and writing, weaving and sculpture. Parents are encouraged to share folklores, myths and legends, art and history.
Stay indoors, stay safe and keep updated on the latest weather bulletins.