when cyclone pam struck vanuatu in for example it affected about per cent of schools some were damaged and others were turned into evacuation centres the problem exists throughout the pacific region where many schools in small island states are unavoidably located near coastal areas throughout the region climate change and weatherrelated emergencies have hindered efforts to provide children with goodquality learning opportunities less than per cent of the funds raised by humanitarian appeals went to education this figure suggests that education is considered a low priority in humanitarian contexts a viewpoint that is curiously out of step with the aspirations of parents and children affected by crises for them a return to school can help restore a sense of security normalcy and above all hope for a better future