Balochistan: UNICEF sets up TLCs as floods affected education of 386708 students

Syed Ali Shah:

QUETTA: United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) established temporary learning centers (TLCs) in the flood-hit areas of Balochistan, Pakistan’s least developed province.

Torrential rains and floods affected the schooling of 386,708 students in 33 flood-hit districts of the province, lagging behind other provinces in almost all key social indicators. “Floods damaged 6,565 school rooms”, Abdul Rauf Baloch, the Secretary of Education Balochistan said.

Floods damaged around 3000 government-run primary, middle and high schools across Balochistan. This has compounded the problems of teachers and students already suffering because of the lack of basic facilities in educational institutions.

UNICEF establishes 22 TLCs

“UNICEF has established 22 temporary learning centers (TLCs) so far”, Naqeeb Khilji, one of the project officials of the children’s fund for education told Daily Quetta Voice.

So far, 2220 children including 1424 boys and 796 girls have been enrolled in the TLCs, Mr. Khilji informed. The UNICEF has established TLCs in the Naseerabad division, which was completely flooded two weeks back.

However, it has also established TLCs in floods that hit the Hanna Urak area of Quetta, Pakistan’s famous tourist point. Floods damaged around 3,000 government-run primary, middle and high schools across Balochistan.

Lasbella hit hard by floods

The Balochistan government twice shut down all private and public schools because of floods and heavy rainfall for 14 days. According to statistics obtained by the Daily Quetta Voce, most of the schools have been damaged by floods in the Lasbella district of the province. The number of damaged schools in district Lasbella is 321, the data revealed. Floods have also damaged 204 schools in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province.

UN Secretary-General and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visiting UNICEF TLC in Osta Muhammad Balochistan: Photo UNICEF

The education department has demanded of the Balochistan government to evolve a mechanism for the reconstruction of the damaged schools. The Secretary of Education Balochistan, Abdul Rauf Baloch has directed all concerned district education officers to assess the damages and prepare a comprehensive report about the damaged schools and their impacts on the education of the students.