I want to remind you of the disasters that happened in Japan back in 2011, and especially the town of Namie. Not only they experienced a terrifying earthquake, they were hit by a massive tsunami, AND (if that wasn't enough) they had to evacuate in fear of extreme radiation levels caused by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant.Thinking about this, I found an article about a principal in the town of Namie, who was assigned with "Keeping the spirit of Ukedo alive,", Ukedo being the elementary school she works in. You can read the article here.
Her struggles are many. For instance, she struggles with bringing back the students and their families. Without the students, there really isn't point for a school. Unfortunately this is her only job, so if the school closes she will be unemployed for an unknown amount of time. Another struggle she faces is hiring teachers. Not many want to work in a ghost town like Namie, and many are concerned about the remaining levels of radiation. Not only so but she is running out of ideas as how to motivate the people to keep enrolled in the school.
This leads me to wonder, how is she even supposed to fulfill her 'assignment' of keeping the school spirit alive? It is quite hopeless since no one is really helping her out and the families have relocated, enrolling their children in different schools.
Put yourself in her shoes (not literally) for a short while and think....what would you do?
And that's my topic for this week's blog :)
Poor lady:( But if the radiation levels are still a hazard, the question is, why are they even allowing her in the city? I hope for the best for her, as well as the survivors in the town and their families. We sometimes take school for granted, and I cannot imagine what her students must feel like not even wanting to be in the city because of health hazards. I hope for the best in their educational futures.
ReplyDeleteI feel for her, thats a tough spot to be in. Especially with the radiation, which I know can be extremely hazardous. Keeping the school spirit alive in such conditions, I think, is nearly impossible. But I wish her luck in reaching this goal.
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