19,808 school buildings were affected in floods, of which 7,503 buildings were completely damaged and 12,305 buildings suffered partial damage.
Karachi
The Development Portfolio Review Meeting of the School and College Education Departments of Sindh government was informed on Wednesday that the provincial planning and development scheme has been approved for the rehabilitation of 15,000 schools, for which assistance will be sought from the federal government.
The meeting was informed that due to the floods, 19,808 school buildings were affected, of which 7,503 buildings were completely damaged and 12,305 buildings suffered partial damage.
So far 2,000 schools have been rehabilitated under the maintenance and repair of the School Education Department, while 686 schools will be rehabilitated with Chinese grants and 300 schools with the cooperation of the European Union.
Provincial Education and Culture Minister Sardar Ali Shah chaired the meeting held at the Pakistan Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management in Karachi.
Secretary School Education Ghulam Akbar Laghari, Secretary College Education Ahmed Bakhsh Narejo, Education Works, and other relevant officers participated.
Sardar Shah directed the officials to complete the ongoing development schemes within the stipulated time and give special attention to flood-affected school and college buildings, saying that the most important action after the flood is the rehabilitation of the safe teaching process.
The minister said that in the future, school and college buildings should be built keeping in mind the environmental impacts of the structures, and beautiful buildings should be constructed that are distinct from the traditional designs to increase children’s interest in schools and colleges.
The College Department also briefed on the ongoing development schemes. The department plans to build 20 new colleges, and the scheme would be incorporated in next year’s development plan, it was told.
The meeting was further informed that the repair and maintenance scheme of over 100 colleges, affected during floods, has also been prepared.
Moreover, construction of 35 buildings out of the 50 English Medium Schools, being established under the Comprehensive Schools and High Schools project, has been completed and handed over to Sindh Education Foundation. The teaching process at 22 English Medium Schools has been started. Under the first phase of the project, two English Medium Schools are to be established in each district. (PR)
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