Container schools to be rolled out in K-P

First such institute will be delivered in May; officials say education minister showing interest in project

PESHAWAR: Containers, usually used to transport goods or block roads in this country, will be put to use in natural disaster-hit areas of the province as schools on a trial basis.

Following the footsteps of India, South Africa, Philippines and Malaysia, the K-P government is going to install container schools.



Talking to The Express Tribune, an official of Planning and Development Department, requesting anonymity, said it was his organisation that initially floated the idea of container schools to the provincial government. He said authorities showed interest and ordered their construction.

He said India also inaugurated its first container during 2015, while other countries had already made similar arrangements for those natural disaster-hit zones where educational facilities did not exist.

Bringing schools to your area

The official said these institutes will deliver education to the doorstep of every child and reduce the number of those out of school. He said locals of several areas complained about the lack of schools and said their children, especially girls, cannot go to school. The officer believed such facilities will resolve the issues of people.

He said this type of school can be set up anywhere in a short time and all that was needed was the supply of land and electricity. The P&D official believed the issues of each district in the province will be resolved, while children can have access to the same quality of education.

The official said education minister Atif Khan showed personal interest in the matter and ordered work to commence. A suitable structure will be prepared in two months and the first container school will be delivered in May.



Low cost, mobile

According to the P&D official, the container school will be built at a comparatively low cost and in a short span of time, adding the facility could be moved from one area to the other.

He said that disaster-hit areas like Chitral, Upper Dir, Shangla and Kohistan were left with schools that were destroyed. Students were left with little to no options in the aftermath of earthquakes and floods.

He said structures can be designed according to the school level and number of students, while facilities would be made available accordingly.

Minister for Elementary and Secondary Muhammad Atif Khan confirmed the P&D department had proposed the idea of a container school and said it was an interesting one.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th,  2016.