'School in a box' for Sri Lanka

(BBC News Report)

Carol Bellamy wants schools to re-open in Sri Lanka

Children in Sri Lanka whose schools have been destroyed by the tsunami are to be helped by "school in a box" kits being sent by Unicef. The United Nation's children's agency is delivering the first batch of 100 kits which will help teachers to set up temporary outdoor classrooms.

The kits include books, pencils, a blackboard, chalk, posters and teaching materials for up to 80 pupils. Unicef wants to help schools in Sri Lanka to re-open next week.

"Nothing will signal hope more clearly than re-building and re-opening schools," said Unicef's executive director, Carol Bellamy.

Makeshift classrooms

The children's agency says that restoring education services must be a priority.

What the box contains :

"Being in a learning environment gives children something positive to focus on, and enables the adults around them to go about the business of rebuilding with greater confidence," said Ms Bellamy.

The school in a box kits are intended as a fast, portable way to re-open schools - and in Sri Lanka it is suggested these classes could take place beneath the shade of a large tree.

The kits are intended for two classes of 40 pupils - and the aluminium boxes contain materials to allow teachers to begin lessons in makeshift classrooms in the aftermath of such disasters.

These are designed to be useful for all cultures, such as exercise books without margins, so that they can be used by pupils writing either left to right or right to left. The blackboard is created by painting the aluminium box with paint provided in the kit.

The standard kits are then supplemented by materials in local languages and appropriate toys and musical instruments.

WHAT IT CONTAINS
The Unicef kit is about 80 x 55 x 65 cm and weighs 52 kgs.

Teachers get:
1 x Bag, Unicef, blue nylon, 360mmx230mmx610mm
2 x Pen, ball-point, black
2 x Pen, ball-point, red
2 x Pen, ball-point, blue
1 x Triangle chalkboard, 30-60-90 degrees
1 x Triangle chalkboard, 90-45 degrees
3 x Chalk, assorted colours/box-100
3 x Chalk, white/box-100
2 x Book, exercise, A4, ruled-8mm, 96 pages
1 x Clock, teaching, wood
1 x Pens, felt-tip, ass.colours, 0.8-1mm/pack-6
2 x Marker, flipchart, colours, tip-4.5mm/pack-4
1 x Scissors, all purpose, sharp, 180mm
1 x Tape-measure, vinyl-coated, 1.5m/5ft
2 x Paint, chalkboard, black
1 x Brush, paint, for chalkboard, 60-65mm
1 x Box, metal, lockable for storage
1 x Set of 3 posters, plasticized paper
1 x Poster, multiplication table
1 x Poster, number table
1 x Poster, alphabet table
1 x Compass, chalkboard, 40 cm
1 x Ruler, chalkboard, 100cm
1 x Cubes, wood or plast., coloured, set of 100
2 x Register, A4, squared, 40 sheets
1 x Duster/wiper for chalkboard
2 x Decal, Unicef, round, diameter 205mm
1 x Guidelines for the kit
1 x Tape, adhesive, transp 1, 5cm x 10m/box-20


Students' materials:
48 x Crayon, wax, assorted colours/box-8
120 x Eraser, soft
100 x Book, exercise, A5, 5mm-square, 48 pages
100 x Book, exercise, A5, ruled-8mm, 48 pages
100 x Pencil sharpener, plastic
144 x Pencil for slates
144 x Pencil, HB grade, black
80 x Bag, carrier, A4, interlock seal
10 x Ruler, plastic, 30cm, set of 10
40 x Scissors, safety, school, B/B, 135mm
40 x Slate, student's, A4 (210 x 297mm)


Source: Unicef catalogue