• Over 1,000 schools in flood-affected areas
• Govt. amends teaching calendar to support impacted schools

Sri Lanka’s education system is among the casualties of Cyclone Ditwah, with severe damage to school and preschool infrastructure, while some have been converted into shelters, disrupting the resumption of learning nationwide. 

According to UNICEF’s Sri Lanka Situation Report of 5 December, “Over 1,185 schools across all nine provinces are located in flood-affected areas, affecting the learning of over half a million children.”  

Speaking to the media, Ministry of Education Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewe shared that the opening of schools was scheduled for Tuesday (16) in the Western, Southern, Northern, Eastern, Sabaragamuwa, and North Central Provinces. 

Out of 10,076 schools nationwide, 9,929 are expected to resume educational activities. As reported by provincial authorities, the remaining 147 schools that cannot be opened at present primarily belong to three provinces. This includes 26 schools in the Uva Province, six schools in the North Western Province, and 115 schools in the Central Province. 

“The necessary steps to reopen these schools are already underway. Provincial authorities indicate that there is a likelihood that some of these schools can also be reopened in the coming days,” Kaluwewe said. 

At Badulla’s Uduhawara Maha Vidyalaya, Welimada – home to 710 students and among the schools unable to open on 16 December – Principal Upul Priyankara Alwis and his staff continue to visit students’ homes to gather information on the impact, uncovering new reports of damage daily. 

“At present, there have been minor earthslips at the school, with visible cracks appearing in the soil. Although no buildings have suffered serious structural damage, one has developed a minor crack due to an earthslip. 

“In addition, the toilet facilities are inaccessible because one structure has been fully engulfed in a landslide, while the others have sustained significant cracking. Minor earthlips have occurred in the area around the school and repairs are progressing slowly,” Alwis stated. 

He added that two students had lost their homes, while approximately 27 homes had suffered partial damage, in addition to other homes experiencing minor damage. 

Although an official technical examination is still pending, Alwis noted that the school could potentially resume operations since all buildings except one remained structurally intact. Nevertheless, reopening will require official recommendation. 

To resume operations, the school will need several retaining walls in earthslip-prone sections, along with three or four new toilets. In the meantime, they have been providing essential educational materials for affected students, some of whom have lost all their belongings. Teachers are also visiting students’ homes to check on their mental well-being.

Islandwide, the first term of 2026 is slated to begin on 5 January 2026. However, considering the impact of the disaster on children, the Government has also revealed revisions to the academic calendar and examination dates. 

“In consideration of children’s mental well-being and the time needed for normalcy to be restored after facing such a disaster, the Education Ministry has decided to not hold the third term examinations this year. All students will be allowed to progress to the next grade,” Kaluwewe said. 

Responses on the ground

Amid ministry efforts to restore basic schooling, humanitarian organisations have mobilised to address both learning continuity and children’s emotional recovery. 

The UNICEF report notes: “The trauma experienced by children and education personnel because of the disaster, the damage to schools and households, loss of school learning materials, and the risk of prolonged closures increase the risk of lost learning and dropout, especially for children with disabilities and learning difficulties.” 

Mayuran Thirunavukkarasu from the Centre for Children’s Happiness (CCH), a partner organisation of Save the Children providing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) for children and adolescents affected by the disaster, noted that teams were active in several cyclone-affected locations. 

“The CCH is working closely with partners such as Save the Children Sri Lanka and Sarvodaya to respond to the MHPSS needs of children in disaster-affected communities,” he said. 

“Our joint teams are currently being activated in the Colombo, Badulla, and Nuwara Eliya Districts, where we facilitate TeamUp – an evidence-based global intervention that strengthens children’s psychosocial well-being and builds resilience through structured movement and play.” 

The CCH is also supporting frontline workers to provide psychological first aid and implements tools that help young people manage stress and emotional challenges during crises. The organisation is additionally helping set up child-friendly spaces and encouraging children’s active participation in community-level recovery efforts, working alongside local actors.

Coordinating education recovery

In response to the disaster, UNICEF and Save the Children have activated the Education Cluster and are closely coordinating with Ministry of Education authorities. 

UNICEF is exploring digital platforms for children in safety centres and those whose schools cannot be reopened immediately. The agency is also supporting the Ministry of Education in its assessment efforts to gather more detailed information of the impact on specific schools, students, and teachers. 

The CCH’s work in affected areas is also undertaken through partner organisations that coordinate with the relevant Government structures. 

“Child rights promotion officers from the Department of Probation and Child Care Services play a vital role in linking us with the communities and identifying locations where support is needed,” Thirunavukkarasu said. 

“Since it’s an emergency response, we also maintain an open invitation for all relevant Government institutions to collaborate with us, ensuring a unified and well-coordinated response for children’s well-being.”

Major resource gaps

Mental health support of affected children remains essential for long-term education recovery. 

Addressing the deployment of trained counsellors or child psychologists in affected regions, Thirunavukkarasu noted: “Trained professionals are present, but their numbers are limited nationwide. In the affected districts, Mental Health Units of the Ministry of Health and counsellors attached to divisional secretariats are the key formal resources available. 

“Voluntary groups coordinated through MHPSS.net and its subcommittees, along with several civil society organisations, are also mobilising their psychologists and counsellors to extend support where possible.” 

Despite these efforts, he noted a significant gap in Level 2 MHPSS services – the focused, non-specialised supports that bridge basic assistance (Level 1) with specialised clinical care. These include activities such as peer support initiatives, parenting programmes, structured youth groups, and life-skills training. 

“These are essential for helping children and families manage distress and build coping capacity. This gap is particularly evident in the districts of Badulla, Kandy, and Nuwara Eliya,” he said. 

Meanwhile, UNICEF has procured 100 school cleaning kits to accelerate school reopening and is procuring individual supply kits for the most affected students. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, it has developed messages for students on accessing existing digital learning content to support continuity of learning.

Children in camps

Many children remain in safety centres, unable to return home. To minimise education disruption, the ministry has instructed schools to permit these children to attend the nearest functioning institution. 

“We have also recommended a relaxation in the uniform policy, extending this to staff as well. Further, for children who come from further away, schools should prepare hostel facilities,” Kaluwewe said. 

Thirunavukkarasu stressed that based on past learning from similar emergencies, Level 2 MHPSS support was essential for all children in disaster-affected locations, regardless of whether they showed obvious signs of distress. 

“These interventions help children manage emotional stress, rebuild a sense of safety, and regain routine after a crisis,” he said. 

UNICEF’s initial estimates suggest that over 275,000 children have been affected by the cyclone. However, formal case-level identification for structured psychosocial support is still underway. 

“At this stage, no detailed assessment has been carried out specifically on MHPSS needs. The Joint Rapid Needs Assessment – Phase 1, which has been released by responding agencies, also does not outline MHPSS-specific findings,” Thirunavukkarasu said.

With schools remaining one of the first signposts of recovery, the education sector faces the challenge of restoring both the physical infrastructure and supporting the emotional recovery of the nation’s children.