Evacuees at evacuation centres will not be forced to move out.

Minister for Education Rosy Akbar made this assurance following requests from evacuees at the Northern Division to stay a little longer to give them time to clean their houses.

“From the education perspective we will not ask them to leave and of course we can’t just push them out,” Ms Akbar said.

“We need to find a solution for them.”

Currently, four schools are still being used as evacuation centres.

These are Batirilagi Primary School, Dreketi Central College, Ahmadiyya Muslim College and Kavula Banikea Infant School.

Ms Akbar said the Minister for Defence, Inia Seruiratu with Commissioner Northern were deciding for the evacuees.

Batiri Village headman Sakevo Waidranu said since their village was under water, about 46 families have been staying at Ahmadiyya Muslim College in Voloca.

“We have been staying in this school since January 28,” Mr Waidranu said.

“We have been told that the Ministry of Health has disinfected our village.”

He said they would be moving back to the village in a few days after their clean-up.

“We have also received food rations from the Government,” he said.

“We are grateful to the school management for accommodating us.”

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