Basic facilities: Foreign NGO pledges Rs32m for govt schools

Facilities will be provided in three districts by July 20.

Under the government’s Tameer-e-School programme and the sponsorship of a foreign NGO, Rs32 million was announced for the provision of basic facilities in 50 schools in Peshawar, Nowshera and Kohat, according to a hand- out from Tuesday.

During a meeting held with relevant government officials and NGO representatives, it was decided that the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) would provide the facilities, currently missing at these schools, with the cooperation of respective parents-teacher councils. Basic amenities include drinking water, toilets and boundary walls, which will be provided by July 20, 2014, the statements reads.

Those who attended Tuesday’s meeting included Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif (chair), Additional Secretary Education Qaisar Alam, Elementary Education Foundation (EEF) Managing Director Asmatullah Shah and ACTED Deputy Country Director Syed Muhammad Aftab.

Tameer-e-School programme was inaugurated on April 30 by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)  Chairman Imran Khan.

Around 122 state-run schools have been identified for the first phase of the education initiative, which will receive funding from the general public at home and abroad. The programme will entail renovation of schools to provide them with adequate facilities.

An estimated 14,000 schools, from a total of 28,000 in the province, lack basic facilities including rooms, boundary walls and toilets, according to government officials. Funds will be sent directly to schools and this information is available to the public through its website.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2014.