Pakistan's Sindh: Over 14,000 Schools Still Awaiting Reconstruction Post-2022 Floods
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Islamabad, March 24 (NationPress) The nation of Pakistan is still reeling from the devastating consequences of the floods in 2022, with 14,343 schools out of more than 19,500 affected institutions in Sindh yet to be restored, as reported by local media.
During a recent meeting focused on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of schools, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was informed by Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah that a total of 19,808 schools in Sindh were impacted by the floods.
Out of these, 5,465 schools have been earmarked for restoration efforts. This includes 2,268 schools that were completely destroyed and 3,197 that suffered partial damage, leaving 14,343 schools still in need of urgent attention, according to the Pakistani daily Dawn.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the reconstruction initiatives, funded through various programs, are aimed at reinstating educational facilities for 1.4 million students.
According to the data from Dawn, the major reconstruction projects for 5,369 schools carry a cost of Pakistani Rs 167 billion, with Rs 63.95 billion already utilized and 2,114 schools completed through different funding sources.
In reviewing the division-wise statistics of flood-damaged schools, it was noted that the Hyderabad Division had the highest number of affected schools, totaling 1,254, followed by Larkana Division with 1,218, Sukkur Division with 1,070, Shaheed Benazirabad Division with 894, Mirpurkhas Division with 724, and Karachi Division with 305.
At the district level, Khairpur emerged as the most affected area with 730 schools, followed closely by Naushehro Feroze with 494, Larkana with 343, Kambar-Shahdadkot with 294, Mirpurkhas with 277, and Umerkot with 238.
A government report released last month indicated that a staggering 26.2 million children in Pakistan are still out of school.
The Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training published the 'Girls' Education Statistics and Trends Report 2023-24', shedding light on the alarming number of children not attending school, as reported by Dawn.
This report disclosed that among the 26.2 million children out of school, 3.4 million are girls. It also addressed the prevailing funding issues, noting a significant decline in education financing, with the national education budget dropping from 13 percent to 11 percent and most provinces, particularly Punjab and Sindh, reducing their educational funding.