Students of a Lautoka primary school that was partially burnt on Saturday night will begin school today.

Ami Chandra Primary School, in Tomuka lost four classrooms, its library and a storeroom.

The four classrooms, which were for classes one to three, were badly damaged.

The school has allocated the staff room, a spare kindergarten and halved a double stream class to cater for the students affected.

The Ministry of Education has also supplied the necessary books for the school to replace those that were lost in the fire and the school was expecting replacement furniture late yesterday.

The school’s head teacher, Prinesh Sagar Singh confirmed they were ready to begin the new year and no students would be housed in tents for classes.

The storeman had spotted smoke emanating from the storeroom and quick action by the National Fire Authority prevented the fire from destroying the entire school.

A second fire started up from some smouldering books on Sunday night which saw the NFA rush to the scene to douse the flames.

Mr Singh said there was nothing major.

The Ministry of Education in a press statement said the National Fire Authority and Fiji Police Force have completed their preliminary investigation into the cause of the fire that broke out on the evening of January 20, 2018.

All areas of the school grounds damaged by the fire have been appropriately fenced off and additional measures have been put in place by the Police, Ministry of Education and Commissioner Western’s Office to ensure the safety of students and teachers on the school grounds at all times.

There is adequate space within the undamaged school buildings for students in Years 1, 2 and 3 to attend classes.

“No temporary shelters or tents are necessary. The ministry has supplied 130 desks and chairs, textbooks, stationaries, milk and Weet Bix to replenish items destroyed in the fire,” the ministry reported.

“The ministry has also made psycho-social counselling services available for any student who are distressed by the loss of school buildings due to the fire.”

Edited by Percy Kean

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