Phase I of 19 JICA-assisted schools project gets nod

The  43rd  PPP Policy Board meeting has approved the project structure and investor solicitation for the first  phase of the 19 JICA-assisted  schools  project  in  Sindh. Caretaker Chief Minister  Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar  presided over the meeting  on Sunday.

PPP Unit Director General  Asad Zaman briefed to the  chief  minister on  a JICA- initiated project in 2012  to enhance girls’ education in the rural areas of  the province. The  project involved upgrading 54 primary schools to elementary  and  providing  additional   facilities.

These upgraded  schools were transferred to the Department of School Education in 2017, under  the management of  the district administration. The PPP Policy Board gave the nod of approval for the commencement of  study for 54 schools to be initiated under the PPP mode in 2022  through the JICA structured  bidding process.

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Following a study conducted by the Education Department on the PPP mode, it was recommended that these schools be launched in three phases. Phase-I involves immediate commissioning of at least six classrooms in 19 schools, covered by JICA-constructed  buildings. Phase-II  envisages the launch of schools with less than six  classes in 26 schools, housed in JICA-constructed buildings.

These schools will be supervised either by the Education Department or a private operator. In Phase-III, nine schools under JICA have commenced reconstruction/ rehabilitation work, expected to be completed post construction/rehabilitation.

Zaman briefed the CM Baqar on the location, district packages, cost, and work efficiency under the 10-year management agreement. He also compared the costs of the Sindh Basic Education Program 106 Schools Project with other schools