Schools ponder classroom strategy for dealing with Asian disaster
National Board of Education to set guidelines
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"It will probably come up quite spontaneously. I will go to school right at eight in the morning, and then we will talk with the teachers and decide how to deal with the disaster in the classrooms", said Maria-Leena Kuvaja, deputy head teacher at a comprehensive school in Lahti.
School resumes in Lahti, and in many other communities around Finland, on Monday. In some other areas, including the Helsinki region, schools still have a week of Christmas holiday.
Most child day care centres are also opening their doors, as most parents resume their work after their Christmas breaks.
"We also have a special crisis programme. Generally we try to talk about crisis situations in a matter-of-fact fashion, without downplaying or exaggerating events, and naturally we try to calm things down", Kuvaja says.
The school has its own nurse, and the services of a guidance counsellor and psychologist are available once a week, or as needed.
"At first I was afraid to even look at it", Kuvaja said; she found the names of some Lahti residents on the list of people missing in the disaster, but nobody was from her school.
At a press conference held after the disaster, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) warned Finns to prepare for empty desks in classrooms.
On Friday, the National Board of Education sent a message to schools urging them to devote time to dealing with the disaster in class. Similar guidelines were sent to schools after last year's fatal bus collision at Konginkangas.
"On Monday we will examine the feedback that we get from schools, and send further instructions early in the week. This is a long process now", says Kirsi Lindroos, Director General of the National Board of Education.
Lindroos recommends that the schools get in touch with local experts, including church parishes and voluntary organisations.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 3.1.2005 - TODAY |
 Schools ponder classroom strategy for dealing with Asian disaster |
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