EU, UNICEF’s project to restore education in quake-hit districts

Kathmandu / February 2: The European Union (EU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have decided to jointly launch a project for restoring education for one million children affected by the devastating earthquakes in Nepal.

The project worth Rs 472 million will include construction of 650 transitional learning centres, provision of essential learning materials in all newly established centres as well as psychosocial counselling, training to teachers in nine earthquake affected districts of Gorkha, Kavrepalanchowk, Makwanpur, Nuwakot, Okhaldhunga, Ramechhap, Rasuwa, Sindhuli and Sindhupalchowk in collaboration with the Department of Education and the concerned district administrations and NGOs.

“Over the years, Nepal has made significant educational gains, including the nearly 100 per cent primary enrolment rate,” said EU Ambassador to Nepal, Rensje Teerink, adding that these gains are at a risk today, especially with massive damages to schools and classrooms during the Nepal earthquakes.

A structural assessment of all schools in the 14 most affected districts found that over 34,500 classrooms were damaged or destroyed beyond use, affecting the education of one million children, said a press release issued jointly by the EU and UNICEF, on Monday.

The EU Ambassador Teerink has pointed out the need of collective efforts, so that all school children have decent learning opportunities to avoid negative long term effects of the 2015 disaster. The EU- UNICEF partnership seeks to help restore the education of these children by assuring safe learning environments and emotional support for them,” she stressed.

The new centres will include corrugated galvanized iron sheets for the roof, improved walls, gender-friendly latrines, hand-washing facilities and provision for drinking water. The semi-permanent structures are expected to last for at least the next two years, until more permanent structures for schools can be built.

The learning environment of the earthquake-affected children will be further enhanced with provision for early childhood development and educational materials in all the newly established centres. In addition, 1,300 teachers will be trained on providing effective psychosocial counseling to the students.

Similarly, UNICEF Representative to Nepal, Tomoo Hozumi, observes, “In the last nine months, UNICEF has been working very closely with the Government and partners to minimize the disruption to schooling in the earthquake affected districts by helping to resume classes as soon as possible in schools and temporary learning centres,”

He hoped the new partnership among the Government of Nepal, EU and UNICEF to further enable the funders to support the efforts to build back better the education system. RSS