Ward Shreit, a 10-year-old student, is overjoyed to be back at school in Harem, northwest Syria. After two devastating earthquakes struck parts of Syria and southeast Turkey, killing tens of thousands of people and affecting the lives of millions of others, the school reopened its doors on Sunday. Ward was lucky enough to not lose any family members in the quake, but one of his classmates had died. He said he felt sad that he would never see him again.
In order to ensure the safety of the children and teachers, the educational board decided to design and implement evacuation drills for the students. On Saturday and Sunday, the school dedicated the last two class sessions to these drills. The students were taught that if they hear the sirens ringing, they must proceed in an orderly and calm way to the school’s playground since it is a flat area that can accommodate everyone. In case of a strong earthquake, they were taught how to take cover under their desks with their hands over their heads to protect themselves. If students are not in the classrooms or outside once the sirens ring, then they must adopt the brace position and find a corner of a wall and stay there.
The ministry of education in the Idlib governorate reported that about 250 schools in the region were damaged in the quakes, primarily in the cities of Harem, Salqin, Atarib, Idlib, and al-Mulund. One school was completely destroyed, and the majority of the schools – 203 – were partially damaged. The remaining schools suffered from minor damages. Additionally, 39 teachers and 421 students were killed.
Jamila al-Turk, who lost two students from her second-grade class at the Harem Rural School, was shocked at the level of damage done to the building. She said she hopes to continue giving classes to her students in a different place, even if it means taking a third shift at a different school.
Mohammed al-Khatib, the principal at the school, said all of the students had to be transferred to a neighbouring one. He said that the main wing was built during the French occupation of Syria in 1928, and has six classrooms and four administrative offices. This was the part that was most damaged in the earthquake due to its old structure. The school lost at least six students and one teacher in the quakes, with some still missing.
Fadel Abu Bakr, the supervisor of the Harem Educational Complex that oversees 60,000 students, said about 10 days of school were missed. He visited some of the schools and said that the majority of teachers and children were in good spirits after returning to school. He said that it was good for them to be back in school surrounded by each other as it lessened the trauma of what people experienced in the aftermath of the quakes.
Ward Shreit is just one of many students who are happy to be back at school after two devastating earthquakes struck parts of Syria and southeast Turkey. Schools in the region were damaged, with 39 teachers and 421 students killed. The educational board designed evacuation drills for the safety of children and teachers alike. Attendance was only at half capacity on Sunday as students are still shaken up. Jamila al-Turk, who lost two students from her second-grade class at the Harem Rural School, hopes to continue giving classes to her students in a different place. Mohammed al-Khatib, the principal at the school, said all of the students had to be transferred to a neighbouring one due to its old structure being badly damaged. Fadel Abu Bakr said it was good for them to be back in school surrounded by each other as it lessened the trauma of what people experienced in the aftermath of the quakes.