Tsunami destroys education facilities

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) has estimated that 80 percent of education facilities on Simeulue Island in Aceh province were destroyed by the Dec. 26 tsunami. In order to help get children on the island back to school, Unicef has sent 350 packages of educational materials, including books, to the students and schools affected by the disaster, said Lely Jauhari, a press officer with the UN body. Lely said that some 27,000 students on the island would benefit from the aid.

To date, Unicef has provided educational materials to 240,000 students in Aceh -- enough to keep them supplied for one month. -- Antara