PEF seeks corporate sector’s help to rebuild partner schools

An estimated Rs2m are required to restore each of the 92 PEF partner schools situated in the flood affected districts.

LAHORE: According to an assessment plan prepared by the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF), an estimated Rs2 million are required to restore each of the 92 PEF partner schools situated in the flood affected districts of southern Punjab.

The amount is supposed to help construct a four-classroom school that has a principal’s office, toilets and necessary furniture for students.

Managing director PEF Ahmad Wani told this to a three-member delegation of Telenor Pakistan on Tuesday.  PEF officials also gave a presentation about the flood damage assessment.

Project officer (CPDP) Maryum Shakir said that 64 out of 92 affected schools were Foundation Assisted Schools (FAS) while 28 others were registered under the New School Program. Currently, PEF supports 1,776 schools in 29 districts under the FAS program and 129 schools in eight districts under the New School Program.

She said that more than 800,000 students were enrolled under the FAS program, out of which 52 per cent were female.

Wani said that most of the affected schools were situated in the districts of Bhakkar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Jhang and Layyah. He said that a survey of the affected areas of Rajanpur district had not yet been conducted since the area was still heavily inundated. He said, “PEF is going to launch a comprehensive flood assessment survey after the Eid holidays.”

Around 80 per cent of the PEF partnership infrastructure is situated in the southern districts, which it is trying to rehabilitate with the help of the corporate sector.

The affected schools are five per cent of the total partner schools, Wani added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2010.