Mothers in evacuation centres on Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu say they are worried for their children's education in the wake of the volcano evacuation.
Thousands of children are among the more than 11,000 people who have been relocated from the island of Ambae to nearby Pentecost, Maewo and Espiritu Santo since the island's volcano began belching ash and smoke over two weeks ago.
The volcano's alert level has recently been lowered from four to three but it is still up to the Vanuatu government whether people will be allowed to return to the island given volcanic ash from the volcano has contaminated most of the waterways and killed crops.
Wendy Karo a mother at one of the evacuation centres said she was worried for her children's education.
"We are worried that all of our children who we have run away from the island with to come here they have not been able to complete their education and we are just living with them here. Some were in kindergarten some in primary school. The high school students they have taken away and put in schools but we are worried about these little ones."
Photo: RNZ/ Koroi Hawkins Wendy Karo(far right back row) says mothers in the evacuation centres worry for their children's education.