Moalims

PESHAWAR: Government Middle School Andar Sher in the city was declared a dangerous structure after the earthquake, however, 300 students still attend classes there.

“Due to the strong tremors, all the walls in the building developed cracks and the structure can collapse any time,” third grader Ali Abbass told The Express Tribune. “All my class fellows enter the building in fear.”

Even the schoolteachers are reluctant to teach there. But they say they are compelled to use the building as they do not have any alternative.

“Officials from the Communication and Works department inspected the school and directed us to not use it as the cracks are very deep; but did not give us an alternative,” said GMS Ander Sher Headmaster Muhammad Jehanzeb.

“The building is not safe and I told the district education officer and officials at the education department about the school’s condition but they have not replied yet,” said Jehanzeb.

Schools in tents

Talking to The Express Tribune, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Muhammad Atif said the C&W department has been directed to conduct a survey of damaged schools. C&W inspectors were ordered to check buildings and tell school managements whether the schools were fit for use or not.

“Tents have been provided on an immediate basis to schools which were destroyed; DEOs have also been asked to rent buildings for some of the institutes.” Atif added around 800 schools were partially damaged.

“The construction of new school buildings will take a year or two but for the time being, classes at these schools will continue in tents so the academic year is not wasted.”

The strong jolts and aftershocks of earthquake on October 26 killed around 232 people in K-P.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2015.