1,500 quake-hit educational institutes in K-P await rebuilding
K-P minister alleges federal govt was withholding funds it received from international donors
The 7.8-magnitude quake sent shockwaves that spread as far as Lahore and Karachi, though most of the damage took place in Balochistan’s remote Mashkhel district. PHOTO: REUTERS
PESHAWAR:
Despite lapse of 12 years since the October 8, 2005 earthquake, some 1,500 educational institutes are yet to be rebuilt by the provincial or federal government in the Hazara Division.
On July 26, 2016 Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif Khan sent a letter to the minister of state for education and professional training to arrange funds for the reconstruction of earthquake affected schools. However, the provincial government is yet to receive a reply from the federal government.
According to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Elementary and Secondary Education Department’s ‘Earth Quake Damaged Schools (Strategy and Non Strategy)’ report, the number of demolished schools stood at 3,669, out of which 2,909 were strategy and 760 were non-strategy schools.
The report also stated that a total of 2,909 schools are included in Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) strategy wherein 1,557 have been completed and 1,352 are under-construction.
Out of the 1,352 schools in the non-strategy category, 600 are in the design stage and require Rs3,482 million while the others need Rs6,582 million which are yet to be issued by both the provincial or federal government.
About the non-strategy demolished schools, the report stated that the provincial government in its 2014-15 Annual Development Programme had said that it would reconstruct 760 non strategy schools at the cost of Rs9,000 million. So far, 544 schools have been approved at a cost of Rs7,824 million, while 50 of these schools have been completed by the K-P government at the cost of Rs1.5 billion.
K-P minister Atif Khan, in his letter to Balighur Rehman, had mentioned that ERRA has requested the federal government for further allocation of resources for the reconstruction of these pending schools. The K-P minister had reminded the state minister that the federal government is yet to release the funds despite deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s announcement of releasing Rs4 billion for the remaining schools.
A state of disrepair: Nine years after 2005 earthquake, Nathiagali high school still a mess
This issue was also discussed in the inter-provincial education ministers conference held on February 10, 2016.
Meanwhile, K-P Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Muhammad Atif Khan in his social media message had alleged that the federal government was withholding the funds it got from international donors for the reconstruction of the damaged schools.
Atif claimed that he had written letters to PM and the federal ministry for education to release around Rs10 billion for reconstruction but he is yet to receive a reply from them.
The K-P education minister asked that if the federal government can spend billions on Metro Bus and Orange Train then why can’t they give funds for the reconstruction of these 1,500 schools.
The provincial minister threatened that if the federal government does not release Rs10 billion for the reconstruction of these schools then he along with the students and their parents will hold a sit-in in Islamabad.
Despite lapse of 12 years since the October 8, 2005 earthquake, some 1,500 educational institutes are yet to be rebuilt by the provincial or federal government in the Hazara Division.
On July 26, 2016 Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif Khan sent a letter to the minister of state for education and professional training to arrange funds for the reconstruction of earthquake affected schools. However, the provincial government is yet to receive a reply from the federal government.
According to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Elementary and Secondary Education Department’s ‘Earth Quake Damaged Schools (Strategy and Non Strategy)’ report, the number of demolished schools stood at 3,669, out of which 2,909 were strategy and 760 were non-strategy schools.
The report also stated that a total of 2,909 schools are included in Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) strategy wherein 1,557 have been completed and 1,352 are under-construction.
Out of the 1,352 schools in the non-strategy category, 600 are in the design stage and require Rs3,482 million while the others need Rs6,582 million which are yet to be issued by both the provincial or federal government.
About the non-strategy demolished schools, the report stated that the provincial government in its 2014-15 Annual Development Programme had said that it would reconstruct 760 non strategy schools at the cost of Rs9,000 million. So far, 544 schools have been approved at a cost of Rs7,824 million, while 50 of these schools have been completed by the K-P government at the cost of Rs1.5 billion.
K-P minister Atif Khan, in his letter to Balighur Rehman, had mentioned that ERRA has requested the federal government for further allocation of resources for the reconstruction of these pending schools. The K-P minister had reminded the state minister that the federal government is yet to release the funds despite deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s announcement of releasing Rs4 billion for the remaining schools.
A state of disrepair: Nine years after 2005 earthquake, Nathiagali high school still a mess
This issue was also discussed in the inter-provincial education ministers conference held on February 10, 2016.
Meanwhile, K-P Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Muhammad Atif Khan in his social media message had alleged that the federal government was withholding the funds it got from international donors for the reconstruction of the damaged schools.
Atif claimed that he had written letters to PM and the federal ministry for education to release around Rs10 billion for reconstruction but he is yet to receive a reply from them.
The K-P education minister asked that if the federal government can spend billions on Metro Bus and Orange Train then why can’t they give funds for the reconstruction of these 1,500 schools.
The provincial minister threatened that if the federal government does not release Rs10 billion for the reconstruction of these schools then he along with the students and their parents will hold a sit-in in Islamabad.