Exams in the shade of the flood. “We're afraid of how they come out”

On Tuesday, the eighth grade exam began. For students, he is already a big challenge – let alone when they have to prepare for it in completely new conditions. For many children from southwestern Poland, this school year was definitely demanding. Their schools were flooded during the flood.

For eighth graders from Żelazna, this is neither an ordinary exam nor an ordinary school year. The September flood that ruined their city did not spare school. For the first two weeks after the disaster, they had no classes at all. Later they went to the green school.

They returned to the benches in November, when the army and a private company built a new temporary container facility for them.

– We're afraid. We are afraid of how these exams will come out, but the most important thing is our children's mental health and the fact that they managed, that they are in this place. The basis has been implemented, so I believe that it will really go well – says Agata Kulczak, headmaster of the Private Primary School and Kindergarten in Żelalaz. This is the only school in areas flooded in September, which has not resumed classes in its original location so far.

Over three thousand flooded facilities

There are over three thousand educational institutions in the area covered by the state of natural disaster, in which 400,000 children and adolescents are taught.

Shortly after the flood, lessons were temporarily suspended in 431 schools. Some could not be reached, others were converted into crises, accommodation and humanitarian aid warehouses. Over 200 schools suffered directly – they were flooded by water and mule.

One of the institutions directly affected by the flood was Primary School number 5 in Nysa. – It is all new, because those benches, chairs, everything had to be thrown away – shows us Eulalia Woźniak, headmaster of the Primary School number 5 in Nysa.

General renovation has just ended. It lasted four months. The organization of classes at that time was a serious challenge.

– When the renovation began, the students carried out classes in various rooms. We still have two floors here and science was organized so, so was organized that there was no need for students to have dismissed or postponed classes – indicates Eulalia Woźniak.

Repair of infrastructure and reconstruction of houses

In some schools, repairs are still underway or will start in the near future. – We are simply or after renovations on the last straight, so that these schools can function absolutely normally or even better than before the flood – says Magdalena Roguska, a minister at the office of the Prime Minister of the Civic Coalition.

The reconstruction of educational institutions after the flood was a priority. Repair of infrastructure and reconstruction of damaged houses takes place more slowly. – The sum of funds involved in the flood areas in reconstruction, in the payment of benefits, in restoring normality is already six billion zlotys – he says Marcin Kierwińskigovernment plenipotentiary for reconstruction after a flood from the Civic Coalition.

A month ago, the government adopted an amendment to the flood act, which is to enable the purchase by the State Treasury of houses damaged by the flood, lying on the most endangered areas.