Higher education in the face of natural disasters

Posted on Jul 21, 2011 by admin

The massive earthquake in Japan and New Zealand and the tornadoes in the US are some of the disasters that hit the world early this year as people all over the world work hard to restore normalcy in the affected areas by providing financial and infrastructural support. Natural disasters are traumatic. Many people who witness such devastation are transformed for life. But the most affected are the children, some of them scarred for life.

The US has set up Disaster Relief Funds for Post Secondary Education students. The idea is to extend all kinds of support to the students from tuition fees to counseling to move on and continue their education.

Recently, a non-profit organization leading the task of the rehabilitation of students has announced $400,000 aid to students pursuing higher education in the five most affected states by this year’s tornadoes.

When communities are damaged by a natural disaster, teachers are also affected, but still they have to be a source of strength for their students, guiding them and encouraging them to continue education in the face of hardships. Teachers can create activities or use one of the many guides available such as, Children, Stress, and Natural Disasters: School Activities for Children offered by University of Illinois under its Disaster Resources section. This guide enlists things teachers can do to engage students dealing with the aftermath of a natural calamity.