Two months after a devastating 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Dingri County, located in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, thousands of students have returned to classrooms to start the new semester. The quake, which claimed 126 lives in January, significantly impacted 79 schools in the region.
Out of the 79 affected schools, 76 have been repaired and reinforced to meet safety standards, allowing them to reopen on schedule. However, three primary schools in the most severely damaged townships require complete reconstruction, leading to the relocation of 1,479 students to four alternative sites for the commencement of the new semester.
Li Benfeng, deputy director of the education bureau in Dingri, highlighted the county's efforts, stating, "The county's Party school, serving as one of the temporary sites, is providing six classrooms – thereby accommodating over 220 primary school students and enabling them to start the semester on time." Pasang Tsering, a sixth-grade student, expressed gratitude, saying, "Each of us was given not only new textbooks but also backpacks, bedding and stationery."
Chimed, deputy director of the municipal education bureau of Xigaze, emphasized the community's collaborative efforts. "During the new semester, teachers will provide psychological support for students – aiming to alleviate fear and anxiety caused by the earthquake," she explained. Teachers were mobilized early to assist with cleaning and preparing schools for reopening.
In addition to reopening schools, reconstruction initiatives are underway. On Monday, the reconstruction of eight severely affected villages was launched in Gurum Village of Dingri. The recovery effort aims to relocate over 120,000 residents to new homes by the end of the year, following extensive preparations that include debris clearance, risk assessment, and housing design.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
