Over 100 earthquakes rocked Taiwan about a week ago. The tremors left an elementary school in Hualien County with considerable damage. Out of safety concerns, the school decided to transition into online learning. Now, after one week of repairs, the children returned to the classroom.
School students practice their phonics with their teacher. This classroom would have looked a lot different one week ago. That’s because it would have been empty. This is Chunrih Elementary School in eastern Taiwan’s Hualien County.
On September 18, strong earthquakes damaged the school. The tremors brought down a second-floor walkway. And, for safety reasons, the school held classes online while it repaired the damage.
The school principal says that all students will return to their original classrooms. He says, while repairs are ongoing, the school is structurally sound enough to hold in-person classes. Right now, he says the priority for the school is fixing these two damaged pillars.
The walkway that collapsed won’t be returned to its original state. Instead it will be replaced with a simpler path. The school has asked the county government to carry out safety inspections. That way it can quickly address any potential issues.
After all, the only thing more important than education quality at a school is student safety.