Schools in Tonga take on fresh lessons in preparedness after volcano and tsunami

Above: Mr Hakeai sits at his desk at Kanokupolu Government Primary School. His school is now participating in disaster preparedness activities supported through AHP. Photo: Lopeti Fakaosi/Ministry of Education and Training

When the Hunga Tonga – Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted in Tonga in early 2022, triggering a tsunami, it was not just homes that were affected. Schools also bore the brunt of the disaster.

Mr Hakeai was principal at Atata Island Government Primary School (GPS) when the disaster struck. The small island was severely damaged by the tsunami waves, but fortunately no one was killed. 

“The entire school compound was flooded by the waves and inside the school buildings it was up to 1.5 meters high,” Mr Hakeai remembers. “The wooden walls were affected and almost collapsed due to the impact of the waves.”

“The school brick wall fence was completely destroyed and washed away by the waves. Water tanks for rainwater harvesting were also carried away by the waves. Only the burial mound outside the school grounds was not covered by the incoming seawater.”

Above: Mr Vaea, Chairperson of the Parent and Teacher Association of Kanokupolu Government Primary School, is highly supportive of schools becoming more prepared for disasters, and supporting students impacted by disaster with psychosocial support. Photo: Lopeti Fakaosi/Ministry of Education and Training

“The waves brought a lot of rubbish and uprooted tree-trunks forcing their way into the classroom through the windows and doors, causing more damage.”

Mr Hakeai is now in his first year as the Kanokupolu GPS Principal, where he oversees the wellbeing and education of 82 primary students. Kanokupolu school, located in a remote and small village on Tongatapu, was also badly damaged by the disaster, but has since been repaired.

Mr Vaea, Chairperson of the Parent and Teacher Association of Kanokupolu, knows that under the smiles, some pupils are still struggling from the impacts of the crisis.

“They are still affected mentally from this experience. It’s a matter of fact, whenever there is a thunderstorm and lightening they start to panic and cry, and their faces show fear as they relive the moments of the volcanic eruptions and tsunami,” he says.

Through the ongoing Australian Humanitarian Partnership response to the disaster in Tonga, Mr Hakei’s school and 99 others like it are being supported to better prepare for disasters by Save the Children and the Tongan Ministry of Education and Training. Activities such as providing videos to children demonstrating evacuation procedures and helping schools establish school disaster management committees will reduce the risks of future events.

The project is working across four island groups, and aims to minimise deaths, injury and loss of property due to disasters, especially for vulnerable community members such as children, women and those with disabilities.

For Mr Hakeai and Mr Vaea, the impact of January 2022 has left them fully convinced of the importance of disaster risk reduction in schools, and of the important role of schools in supporting the wider community to recover and stay safe.

“I believe the school children still need psychosocial support and counselling to slowly return to normal,” Mr Vaea said. “We also need to set up our school disaster management committee ,working closely with the parents and community leaders, such as the town officers and their committees for the safety of the school children and community at large.”

Mr Hakeai agrees.

“We must identify the safer zones and areas to evacuate to. We must prepare a safe evacuation route and practise evacuation drills with the children, teachers, parents and community,” he said.

“The community, parents and school need to work closely together, and make better plans, and follow-up these plans with actions that will ensure the safety of our children, schools and community at large.”