austraLasia 1575
Classes organised for school children
COMORO, DILI: 6th June 2006 -- More refugees seek shelter at Don Bosco Comoro as the situation in the city remains bad despite the presence of foreign troops. At the latest, the official number taking refuge is over 13,000. But since the school children amongst them have a lot of spare time on their hands, Fr Joao Roque Gutteres, the principal of St. Peter's High school just a block away from the DB Comoro compound, organised classes for primary, junior (pre-secondary) and senior (secondary) high school. He was helped by teachers who are also refugees. He extended the invitation to all students in the camp as well as those living nearby. More than 300 students from Grade 3 to III Year Senior High responded to his invitation and attended the first day of classes. They would normally have been attending various schools in the city.
Just 3 kilometres away gangs fought almost the whole day and destroyed some houses, but classes went on. Later in the morning, Australian troops visited the school, reassuring the students. Soon afterwards a platoon of Malaysian soldiers with 2 armored-personnel carriers and a truck stationed themselves in the compound of a nearby Protestant church, making it their camp for the next few days. Their presence will ensure more security and sense of security for both teachers and students.
More students are expected to enrol today, as some did not know of this new initiative.
GLOSSARY
Refugee: being used here as a shorthand. Technically they are 'internally displaced persons'.
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AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com Try out BoscoWiki to be interactive. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xm A separate service entirely is called F'OSSERVATORE to help us keep abreast of trends in the digital world.
Classes organised for school children
COMORO, DILI: 6th June 2006 -- More refugees seek shelter at Don Bosco Comoro as the situation in the city remains bad despite the presence of foreign troops. At the latest, the official number taking refuge is over 13,000. But since the school children amongst them have a lot of spare time on their hands, Fr Joao Roque Gutteres, the principal of St. Peter's High school just a block away from the DB Comoro compound, organised classes for primary, junior (pre-secondary) and senior (secondary) high school. He was helped by teachers who are also refugees. He extended the invitation to all students in the camp as well as those living nearby. More than 300 students from Grade 3 to III Year Senior High responded to his invitation and attended the first day of classes. They would normally have been attending various schools in the city.
Just 3 kilometres away gangs fought almost the whole day and destroyed some houses, but classes went on. Later in the morning, Australian troops visited the school, reassuring the students. Soon afterwards a platoon of Malaysian soldiers with 2 armored-personnel carriers and a truck stationed themselves in the compound of a nearby Protestant church, making it their camp for the next few days. Their presence will ensure more security and sense of security for both teachers and students.
More students are expected to enrol today, as some did not know of this new initiative.
GLOSSARY
Refugee: being used here as a shorthand. Technically they are 'internally displaced persons'.
___________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com Try out BoscoWiki to be interactive. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xm A separate service entirely is called F'OSSERVATORE to help us keep abreast of trends in the digital world.
