Architects Without Frontiers | Australia

Dickwella North School is located in a village inland from the tsunami affected coast of Sri Lanka. As it was not directly affected by the tsunami it became a regional centre for students whose schools had been devastated. The school was already under resourced and run down, barely meeting the needs of the existing 420 students. In order to accommodate the populations from an additional 12 other schools and ensure an appropriate long term solution, extensive planning and works were required.

AWF organised a consultative workshop led by the project director, a local urban development authority planner and a school teacher, and involving head subject teachers, the principal, student leaders and parent representatives. The workshop generated a 'wish list' and the Educational Development Foundation was formed to drive the project, consisting of parents, teachers, students, and the village community as well as representatives from the City of Melbourne and Architects Without Frontiers. Whilst facilitating the physical needs of the students and community, there were underlying goals that considered the role of the school within the broader community, recognising the importance of founding long term, sustainable programs that provide ongoing support to students assisting in achieving their educational and vocational objectives beyond the confines of school.

The City of Melbourne states:

"This project was a big undertaking, and work needed to cover almost every aspect of school life. From sourcing and delivering office and school equipment, to computer training for teachers, and from the development of a breakfast program for students to the construction of new classrooms and toilets – our project covered it all. The construction of a three-storey wing, built on the existing school site created many new opportunities for better facilities. This wing now houses a fully quipped science laboratory, an IT centre, and an English activity room, plus a library, principal's office and teacher's common room."

The local community (parents, community service agencies, businesses) responded with visionary dedication and generosity and this huge undertaking was achieved?

Read more about the City of Melbourne's projects in Sri Lanka in this pdf download (1.2mb).

Article written by Lani Fender

Summary

Since the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, AWF in partnership with the City of Melbourne and other partners has initiated and supported the reconstruction of the North Dickawella School in Matara, Sri Lanka. AWF facilitated the provision of a range of educational equipment, infrastructure and furniture, and the construction of a three-storey wing to accommodate the increased volume of students after devastation of most schools in the area. A master plan has been developed for taking the project to the next level, which includes more class rooms, performing arts centre with an amphitheatre.

Client

North Dickwella Maha Vidyalaya

Project Partners

City of Melbourne
Sri Lanka German Technical Training Institute Old Boys Association NSW
Sri Lanka Association of Victoria
HELP Sri Lanka Inc.
Lonely Planet Foundation
Wesley Mission
Lord Mayors Charitable Fund
Graham Baumont Family and Friends

Project Leader

Dr Sarath Matararaachchi, Australasian Housing Institute, NSW, Australia

Sri Lanka Project Leader

Mr Walgamage, District Engineer, Public Works Department, Galle, Sri Lanka

Commencement Date

March 2005

Background and Description

After the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, AWF and the City of Melbourne coordinated a team of volunteers to fly to Sri Lanka to assess how best to use money donated by Melburnians to assist in the recovery and rebuilding process. North Dickwella School is located in a village off the coast of Sri Lanka. It was not hit by the tsunami, but became a regional centre for students whose schools had been devastated by it. The school was already under-resourced and run down, barely meeting the needs of the existing 420 students. In order to accommodate students from nearby tsunami-affected schools the school needed more buildings and facilities including basic infrastructure. AWF organised a consultative workshop led by the Project Director and a local Urban Development Authority Planner. Sectional Head Teachers, the Principal, student leaders and parent representatives also participated in the workshop. The workshop generated a ‘wish list’ and an Educational Development Foundation was formed to drive the project, consisting of parents, teachers, students, and the village community as well as representatives from the City of Melbourne and AWF. Whilst facilitating the physical needs of the students and community, there were underlying goals that considered the role of the school within the broader community, recognising the importance of founding long-term sustainable programs that provide ongoing support to students to assist in achieving their educational and vocational objectives beyond the confines of school.

This project was a big undertaking, and work needed to cover almost every aspect of school life from sourcing and delivering office and school equipment, to computer training for teachers, and from the development of a breakfast program for students to the construction of new classrooms and toilets. The construction of a three-storey wing, built on the existing school site created many new opportunities for better facilities. This wing now houses a fully equipped science laboratory, an IT centre, and an English activity room, plus a library, principal’s office and teacher’s common room. The local community (parents, community service agencies, businesses) responded with visionary dedication and generosity and this huge undertaking could be achieved. St John’s Primary school in East Melbourne has formed a strong relationship with North Dickwella School. Both have exchanged photos and postcards and St John’s has donated some books, sports equipment including some Aussie-rule footballs. These improvements have changed the place the school had in the local community. Unlike before, there is competition for new enrolments, the school has won many regional and national awards and achieved better examination results, and there is pride amongst students that they are the students of North Dickwella School.

Status

Having provided the immediate needs of the school, the AWF design team is working on developing a master plan to take the project to the next level. A concept plan has been developed, which has been sent to the school community for their consideration. The school’s dance troupe has become national champions for two consecutive years and therefore the performing arts is a priority area in the curriculum. However, the dilapidated room that students use for dance practice is near collapse. Therefore the AWF design team has prioritised designing a performing arts centre with an adjoining small amphitheatre.