Education dept, Unicef to launch rehabilitation
LAHORE: Some 2,863 schools in 11 flood-hit districts of Punjab have been damaged, declares the education department.
“With a view to restoring normal functioning of schools in flood-affected areas, a comprehensive action plan is being prepared in collaboration with Unicef,” said a statement issued by the department here on Thursday.
Under the programme, the teachers of flood-affected schools had been directed to join their duties and make arrangements for cleanliness and necessary repairs of school buildings so that academic activities could be restarted after summer vacation.
“Under the approved plan of action text books, drinking water and teaching material should be provided (to schools) on an urgent basis,” it said.
“Once the floodwater recedes the district officers of the education department, monitoring officers and Unicef staff will conduct a survey for assessment of the damages. Necessary action will be taken for the restoration of these schools in the light of surveys.”
The department said the floods had resulted in increase in poverty in the affected areas. Financial problems might affect the studies of the children and dropout rate might also surge consequently, it said.
The provincial secretary (schools) has directed the officials concerned to gather all the necessary details pertaining to damaged school buildings like furniture and water points, extent of the damaged etc.
He also asked them to do the exercise carefully so that a comprehensive rehabilitation plan could be prepared and implemented.
PEEF: The Punjab Education Endowment Fund (PEEF) has so far disbursed 10,700 scholarships to the talented and deserving students of local institutions.
“The Fund has launched a masters’ level Foreign Scholarship Programme for the brilliant but less privileged students so that they could pursue higher education in the top ranking universities of the world. Under this programme, it has selected 13 students for overseas scholarships for 2010. The scholarships are need-based and include airfare, full tuition fees, and stipend for boarding and lodging,” a spokesman said.
He said with a view to develop soft skills and leadership qualities among the scholarship-holders, the PEEF had conducted a weeklong workshop on cultural sensitisation, issues at international universities, communication skills, time and travel management and personality development.
Source: Dawn
Date:8/27/2010
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