Dear Editor – I write to mention to the parents, guardians and supporters of Selwyn College the problem which the school has inevitably faced during the past 5 years which I’ve lived and trained there.
I would like to see the school relocated.
In the past years Selwyn was located in the old site in Najilagu during which it was damaged by Cyclone Namu in 1986.
Later it was shifted down to the current site at Maravovo, west Guadalcanal.
In 2009 there was a flash flood which damaged the school. It was a tremendous flash flood which overflowed into the girls and boys dormitories and also staff residences.
During that time everyone was evacuated to the classrooms areas at night.
The students were later evacuated to town where they spent a whole month.
Then in 2000 in the month of January it rained heavily destroying the bridges and roads to Selwyn College, therefore the school was delayed while others in town continued to do their classes and followed the official time to start.
After the flood, the bridges were then reconstructed but temporary bridge was made just for the trucks to pass.
Later in February we started school and only a few weeks later the flood came again during the night.
Around 1am we were awaken by the senior students and were again evacuated to the classrooms area, where we spent the whole night soaking wet and slept till morning.
The next day forms 1,2,and 4 were taken up to town by ship (Southern Cross), we then spent the whole month doing catch-up classes at St Nicholas School, but it was not that effective.
And for three years I spent there, the problem of the school was that the flood always damaged the bridges affecting transportation to and from the school.
And also later this year just before the Easter break we had experienced another flash flood which was much bigger than anything I’ve seen before, but it was luck for us it came at dawn.
And later in the day around 10AM it came heavily again and this time we can see everything, it was a big and devastating.
Staff houses were like floating houses without posts, luckily no lives were lost, but properties were in a mess.
The movement of the students who surveyed the river bank and the dormitories and also the staff houses outside of the ring road reported to say that the water (Flood) reached their waists.
By Afternoon around 1pm the flood went down which made it possible for trucks to come and pick up the students back to town.
As you can see the school faced the effects and danger of this natural disaster, which then really affects the students’ studies at the College.
Therefore I would like to suggest to the school authority to relocate the site for the school, away from being victims of flooding and other natural disaster.
This problem has affected the school a lot in our studies, but thanks to the teachers for their effort in catch up classes and assistance. I salute you.
Reggie Pitisopa
Honiara
