PAKISTAN: 1800 SCHOOLS RECONSTRUCTION?

PESHAWAR : The federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments have totally failed to reconstruct around 1,800 government schools in the province -

Even after 14  years after their destruction by a 7.6 earthquake on October 8, 2005.

These schools are located in Abbottabad, Mansehra, Shangla, Battagram and Kohistan districts.

Official sources said a lack of funds and disinterest of the authorities had delayed the reconstruction of schools and thus, making students attend classes in adverse conditions.

They said those students from hilly areas were exposed to harsh weather in the winter season, especially due to heavy snowfall.

The sources said the quake-hit schools had been functioning in rented places or in tents for the last 14 years.

They said the 2005 earthquake had damaged 3,660 government schools in five districts.

The sources said that the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority [ERRA] had conducted a damage survey soon after it assumed the responsibility of rebuilding 2,900 destroyed schools in the province.

They said the ERRA had so far reconstructed 1,800 schools but work on 1,100 schools had yet to be completed.

The sources said that after the ERRA's survey was over, the authorities pulled down 760 schools until 2014-15 when the then KP government decided to do the job.

Sources in the education department said work 1,100 schools had come to a standstill due to the  federal government's failure to provide funds to the ERRA, while the provincial government had been chugging along since 2014-15 to carry out its share of school reconstruction.

The World Students Society thanks, DAWN, and will take the matter up with the immediate effect.