Quake-hit schools

Governments all over the world assert that health and education are their top priorities. But this is a truism, so it is pointless to state the obvious ad nauseam. However, this is what the chairman of the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) told the Supreme Court during a recent hearing on the inordinate delay in the reconstruction of schools destroyed in the 2008 earthquake in K-P. A highly irritated Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, at the hearing of a suo-motu case, took ERRA to task for the excruciating hiatus in completing destroyed schools and houses in the quake-hit areas of the province. The authority chief informed the court that out of the 14,000 rebuilding projects, only 3,000 remain to be built. He did not explain reasons that caused the delay — whether things have been late due to lack of funds allocation, induced unconcern or the traditional governmental apathy and other not-too-hidden reasons.

While talking about the neglected state of education it is natural to mention this sad fact. The chief justice rightly referred to the government’s apathetic attitude towards the significant issue of public instruction when he asked the ERRA chairman whether had he dealt with the educational matters so perfunctorily if it pertained to his own children. Mentioning the ever-increasing expenses on education, the CJP said college fee was a mere Rs8 a month not long ago, but now school fee is Rs30,000 per mensem. This has put quality and even ordinary education beyond the reach of the commoners. Now only those who have money can afford proper education, or the best education that money can buy, for their children. This applies to even water. Only those possessing money can drink water and eat two square meals.

There is more in store for surprise. In militancy-affected areas of K-P, of the 128 destroyed and damaged schools, only seven have been rebuilt up to now. Classes in the rest 121 schools are being held in tents. Mostly, private schools were targeted.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2021.

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