Tsunami hit school opened at Kudawella

COLOMBO: Japan funded Kudawella Jayawickrema School was opened at a ceremony attended by Education Ministry officials and Japanese Embassy officials on May 07.

The Japanese Government provided Rs. 75 million for the construction of this school.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) assisted in the designing of the school, while the Japan International Cooperation Systems (JICS) supervised the construction and related work.

The school located earlier along the coastal belt was heavily damaged by the tsunami 2004.

The Japanese government decided to support the construction of this school to meet the contingency needs of education Ministry to provide students a suitable place where they can study again.

The construction work has already been completed and the lessons have commenced with 370 students on roll in January 2007.

The new school is equipped with all facilities and the teaching staff. It includes three-storied buildings consisting of thirteen ordinary classrooms and eight special classrooms such as a science room, language room, music room, library an assembly hall, a gymnasium and a playground.

Japan provided US$ 80 million under the Japanese Non-Project Grant Aid for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction of a wide range of tsunami affected sectors. Under this grant assistance, about US$ 13 million was allocated for the reconstruction of thirteen tsunami affected schools in the Hambantota, Galle, Kalutara, Ampara and Batticaloa districts.