Sergeant Mira Al-Tamimi and students from Bloomfield River State School are all smiles in the temporary classroom at PCYC Cooktown. Photo: Supplied (QPS).
Students from the displaced community of Wujal Wujal have received top marks for resilience after commencing term one in a makeshift classroom in Cooktown.
The students, who normally attend Bloomfield River State School, were unable to return to their regular classrooms following the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Jasper and unprecedented flooding.
PCYC Cooktown opened its doors as a temporary school for the budding learners, and is now the classroom for 14 children between prep and year 6.
The children are following the standard school curriculum and have several teachers delivering the program.
PCYC Cooktown’s Sergeant Mira Al-Tamimi said the team had stepped up to create a supportive environment to begin the school year.
“It’s a little more relaxed, of course, but the kids are still taught the same thing as their peers in established schools,” Sergeant Al-Tamimi explained.
“We expect the kids will be with us for at least another month, if not longer.”
Sergeant Al-Tamimi said the students had “demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of a tumultuous start to the year”, referring to the evacuation of about 300 Wujal Wujal residents in December 2023.
“The children and their families are currently in temporary accommodation in Cooktown and surrounds after their homes were destroyed by floodwaters,” Sergeant Al-Tamimi said.
“Amidst all the uncertainties these families are facing, one thing is certain – they are in the most caring and capable hands.”
Bloomfield River State School students from Wujal Wujal, who were displaced after the community was devastated by flooding, have found a short-term home to continue their learning at PCYC Cooktown.
Original Article published by Cape York Weekly on Cape York Weekly.
