Photo/Illutration Toho Junior High School holds a study session for third-year students preparing for the entrance exam for public high schools, with most students taking part in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, on March 2. (Yoshikazu Sato)

OFUNATO, Iwate Prefecture--With a wildfire still spreading here, some students such as Riku Kumagai are preparing for their high school entrance exams in evacuation centers.

The 15-year-old junior high student is staying with his family in an evacuation center in the city center as three local schools remain closed.

When he evacuated in a hurry on the night of Feb. 26, Riku didn’t even have time to grab his workbooks.

Now, in his school tracksuit, he studies on a tablet in a corner of the evacuation center.

“I worry that my house might have burned down, but I just have to focus on what I can do now,” Riku said.

Teachers are keeping track of students’ well-being through email and visits to evacuation centers.

Toho Junior High School, where many students commute from the affected area, has been closed since Feb. 27.

Of its 104 students, 91 are now living in evacuation centers.

Thirty of the 33 third-year students are set to take the entrance exam for public high schools on March 5 and 6.

To support them, the school started special study sessions in the city on March 2.

TEACHERS OFFER SUPPORT

Shortly after 11 a.m. on Feb. 28, a homeroom teacher and assistant teacher visited Eishun Shida, 13, a first-year student at the junior high school, who was staying in an evacuation center with his family.

“Is there anything you’re struggling with?” the teachers asked. “Have you been able to take a bath?”

Eishun was still adjusting to the unfamiliar environment, but he said, “Seeing my teachers makes me feel at ease.”

“I want to go back to school and see everyone soon,” he added.

Toho Junior High School sends daily emails to parents to confirm students’ safety.

“Many students must be in shock,” the vice principal said. “The longer the forest fire continues, the more it will affect them.”

Third-year students had just begun practicing for their graduation ceremony on March 13 when the wildfire broke out.

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

The forest fire has also raised concerns about its impact on local fisheries, including the harvesting of “wakame” (brown seaweed).

“Many parents work in the fishing industry, so the impact goes beyond just losing homes―it’s also an economic blow,” the vice principal said. “We will provide support, including mental health care.”

After the school closed, it was also placed under an evacuation order, and teachers were told to stay home.

Classes are expected to be suspended until March 4, but with the wildfire still raging, the situation is uncertain.

“Even if school reopens, we don’t know how many students will be able to return,” the vice principal said.

Ryori Elementary School has also been closed and all 69 students have been evacuated.

Since Feb. 27, classrooms have been set up at Okirai Elementary School and the Sanriku Community Center to provide a place for children to study.

In the mornings, students study using worksheets and tablets, followed by playtime with games and "karuta" card activities.

Many students have evacuated to relatives’ homes.

“We want to create as much of a normal school environment here as possible,” the principal said. “But I can really sense that the children are trying to be considerate and not cause any trouble.”

The prefectural board of education will allow students in the city to take a makeup entrance exam for public high schools on March 11 and 12 if they are unable to sit for the exam due to the wildfire.

(This article was written by Koichi Anzai, Miya Yoshimura and Hana Matsuo.)

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