Over 18,500 educational institutes have sustained partial damage or have been completely destroyed due to the devastating floods due to torrential monsoon rainfall in Pakistan, a UK-based organization, Save the Children, has revealed.
According to a report, more than 670,000 students have been affected due to the destruction all over the country. In addition, books, copies, blackboards, tables, and chairs worth millions of rupees have been completely destroyed as well.
Sindh remains the most-affected province as far as education is concerned. Nearly 16,000 schools and colleges have been affected due to floods.
On the other hand, around 5,500 schools and colleges have been turned into relief camps to provide shelter to the flood victims. It must be noted here that 50% of Pakistan is submerged in floods and over 15% of the country’s total population has been affected.
Speaking in this regard, Save the Children’s Country Director for Pakistan, Khuram Gondal, said,
The scale of the damage we are seeing will prevent thousands of children from going back to school any time soon. We’ve seen entire buildings completely washed away. Children, already battling the shock and horror of what’s happening around them, now also have to cope with the loss of their classrooms and their safe place to learn. We know from experience that it takes time to repair schools, and many of these children have already missed months of education already because of COVID-19. We are calling on donors around the world to recognize the terrible situation in Pakistan and dig deep to help children. Beyond immediate life-saving supplies like shelters, food, and water, we also need to establish emergency schools where children can go, be safe, and learn. Schools are vital for both children’s future and their current well-being – they are cherished environments and offer routine and stability amidst the chaos.
