CHILDREN FACE YEARS OF SCHOOL IN TENTS
(5 October 2006)
year after the South Asia earthquake destroyed their schools, thousands
of children are facing many more years without proper classrooms.
More than a million school children were affected by the earthquake
and around 8,000 schools in Pakistan were destroyed or damaged.
In some areas none of the destroyed schools have been rebuilt.
the Children estimates that it will take up to seven years to rebuild
the education system, meaning some children will never get to attend
a real primary school. So far bureaucracy, a lack of commitment
and insufficient funding for the education sector has meant the
permanent reconstruction of schools has been extremely slow and
in some places non-existent. In Bagh, 800 schools were destroyed
but no permanent school construction has taken place. In Muzaffarabad,
one of the districts worst affected by the earthquake, reconstruction
has only started in one or two sites.
enrolment rates have also plummeted since the earthquake. In Muzaffarabad
and Bagh, around 34,000 children who attended school before the
earthquake have not returned.
majority of schools that have re-opened do not have adequate shelter
and provide a very poor learning environment for children. Tents
are not a viable solution. During this summer, many children and
teachers abandoned the greenhouse-like conditions of their tents
and attempted to hold classes under the blazing sun, which was preferable
to being inside the tents. Now, with another harsh Himalayan winter
approaching tents are again at risk of collapsing due to heavy snowfall.
where tents have been provided, they cannot cater for the entire
school and least half of the children in every school are still
not accommodated for. In addition many schools are suffering from
a shortage of teachers and learning materials. Of particular concern
are the water supplies and sanitation facilities, including toilets,
which are completeyl inadequate.
Anwer, Save the Children's Education Director in Pakistan said:
"Even after an emergency, every child has the right to a quality
education. Despite the problems they face, children and teachers
walk for hours through difficult terrain every morning to get to
school. We think they deserve the same enthusiasm from the government
to give them back a safe and conducive learning environment by stepping
up the pace of rebuilding."
the earthquake, Save the Children has been focussing on supplying
temporary and semi permanent school shelters, which are quick and
efficient to build and are sturdier and safer than tents. The organisation
has built 174 of these school structures covering 58 schools in
Bagh and Muzzafarabad.
the Children is calling for:
* A real commitment to the immediate and rapid reconstruction
The government to put a plan in place to provide adequate and
safe shelter to 80% of affected schools before next winter.
* The government to allow flexibility in its reconstruction plans
and consider a variety of construction options to speed up this
slow process, including semi-permanent structures as an interim
solution until all schools are re-built.
Additional teachers to be hired to fill in the gaps in teaching
staff that was created by the death of more than 900 teachers
in the earthquake.
Housing and transportation for existing teachers. Many teachers
have been absent from schools as they are still busy meeting their
own families basic needs by constructing shelters etc.
the Children is concerned that if a quality school system is not
provided soon many children will lose a valuable opportunity to
get the education they deserve. "Missing out on a quality education
has a profound effect on the rest of a child's life," said
Saima Anwer. "If a child does not get a decent education they
are at a higher risk of being put to work or being married off at
an early age. Education is an urgent priority and the government
of Pakistan and other agencies must step up their efforts to restore
the education system."
further details visit www.savethechildren.org.uk