Serving Education:

Earthquake-hit Areas Get 16 Quake-proof Primary Schools

UNICEF Pakistan has opened sixteen new primary schools in the Northern areas of Pakistan as part of an ambitious programme to construct almost 700 schools following the devastating 2005 earthquake. These 16 schools are constructed in Muzaffarabad and Bagh districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir with significant financial support from the European Union, and in support of the Government of Pakistan’s ‘Build Back Better’ programme.
The new schools are beautiful, modern structures that are resistant to earthquakes and designed with child-friendly features. They include a minimum space for each student in line with international standards; school furniture and educational materials; separate toilets for girls and boys; solid boundary walls; and ramps and railings that facilitate access for physically-challenged children.

UNICEF further plans to build 691 permanent and pre-fabricated schools in earthquake-affected areas, with the support of the European Union and other donors. These will benefit around 65,000 children. Of the more than 560 schools constructed to date, 84 permanent and 52 pre-fabricated schools have been completed with the financial contribution of the European Union.