Early Childhood Education teachers in the TC Yasa affected schools have received training on integrating mental health and psychosocial support in their curriculum.

This was done with the use of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) kits given by UNICEF and is part of the Ministry of Education’s recovery intervention for TC Yasa.

UNICEF Pacific Education Specialist Dr Sandipan Paul says they delivered 36 ECD kits to the cyclone-affected kindergartens before the start of the new school year.

And the 36 teachers from these kindergartens have been trained on how to use the kit to ensure that the children’s brain development is not hampered by the emergency situations – like the cyclone.

“Neuroscience says that brain development is maximum from 0-6 years and nay kind of hazards, calamities or emergency situations impact learning and that hampers brain development. From UNICEF, we definitely feel that children should not have any kind of loss of learning.”

UNICEF Consultant Selina Kuruleca says the training will help the ECE teachers identify those affected and also provide a safe, healthy and supportive learning environment for them.

“It is extremely, extremely important that we focus, that we look at, that we recognise behaviours that children may exhibit that would suggest to us that they may be traumatised, that suggests to us that they are not their usual normal selves.”

The training is also designed to prepare for future disasters, ensuring there are trained professionals ready to facilitate in evacuation centres and or temporary learning centres.

District and divisional education officers from Bua, Cakaudrove and Macuata were also part of the training so they can provide support to the ECE teachers.