UNICEF: New earthquake resistant schools for children in Pakistan

Teenager Tehanyat Kazmi (13) is all smiles when she describes her brand-new UNICEF-constructed primary school.

Tahanyat was one of the close to half a million primary school students affected by the devastating earthquake that hit northern Pakistan in 2005. The quake resulted in the tragic loss of life of around 17,000 students and 900 teachers, with more than 6,000 significantly damaged or destroyed.

With her own school destroyed, UNICEF-support meant Tahanyat was able to continue her schooling, first at an emergency open-air school and then a Temporary Learning Centre or tent school. While the opportunity to continue her education was welcomed, emergency schools provided only basic conditions.

Now life is completely different for Tahanyat and her classmates. For the past three months they have been attending a new UNICEF-constructed school in the mountainous Muzaffarabad District, built in support of the Government of Pakistan’s “Build Back Better” programme. The school, along with 15 others in the region, was recently inaugurated by the European Union Ambassador, Lars-Gunnar Wigemark.

Government Girls Primary School Sherwan is a modern structure that is both resistant to earthquakes and designed with child-friendly features, where children are motivated and able to learn. The children take an active role in disaster risk reduction, including mapping out hazards, which are cleared by community members, and practicing safety drills.

The child-friendly approach aims for an environment that is inclusive, physically safe, and emotionally secure. To this end, the school features a minimum space for each child in line with international standards. The classrooms are fully furnished with desks and chairs; there are plenty of educational materials; and the teachers have their own office for planning and administration.

There are separate flush toilets for girls and boys, while a solid boundary wall circles the school. Ramps and railings facilitate access for physically-challenged children. The school also includes an early childhood education unit for children aged 3-5 years old.

UNICEF and its NGO partner ABES have also engaged with teachers, mothers’ support groups and school management committees to ensure community participation in the continued successful running of the school.

‘We really enjoy going to school here,” says Tahanyat. “The classrooms have colourful furniture and there is space to play.”

Tahanyat is the president of the Sherwan School Student Council, which involves students in the school’s decision-making processes. The council is divided into groups, focusing on areas of school life such as health and hygiene, environment, discipline, and play.

“We enjoy the opportunity to participate in planning and management of the school, making the school beautiful and a fun place to learn,” says Tahanyat. “It is good to be involved and have a sense of responsibility.”

Head teacher, Nabeela Kazmi, says that the new school is much better than the old school, which was destroyed in the quake. “The school we have today is larger and safer, with toilets and running water, a place for children to play and a teacher’s office. The children are really happy and we are seeing that enrolments are on the increase.”

Sherwan School is one of 691 schools that UNICEF is constructing in earthquake-affected districts of Pakistan, which will benefit around 65,000 children. More than 560 schools have been completed to date.

UNICEF Deputy Representative, Karen Allen, says that the school reconstruction programme could not have taken place without the invaluable support of the European Union and other major donors, including AusAID, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Government of Canada.

“It is extremely pleasing to be able to make a real, tangible difference in children’s lives. The construction of these modern school facilities is a great step forward.

“The schools, together with the child-friendly schooling approach, will allow tens of thousands of children to exercise their right to an education and give their young minds the opportunity to grow and develop. That is a real treasure worth celebrating.”