Topics & Events

Minister while speaking at the event

Karachi; 13-14 March 2023: Heavy rains and a combination of riverine, urban and flash flooding have led to an unprecedented climate-induced disaster in Pakistan in 2022, causing 7,503 government schools fully damaged (19.98% of government school) and 12,305 government schools partially damaged (31.13%).

In restoring these educational facilities, instead of returning them to their pre-disaster conditions, it is critically important to take into account the future hazards and risks; and ensure that reconstructed infrastructure is resilient and can withstand similar or higher intensity events in the years to come. "Building Back Better (BBB)" is the key approach to post-disaster recovery to reduce vulnerability to future disasters and build community resilience. In the Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Framework (4RF) introduced at the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan co-hosted by the Government of Pakistan and the United Nations in January 2023 in Geneva, rehabilitation and reconstruction of these educational institutes based on the principle of BBB is identified as one of major focus areas in medium to long term to ensure learning opportunities in the affected areas.

Mr. Hashimoto while making presentation

Against this backdrop, School Education and Literacy Department (SELD), Government of Sindh and JICA co-hosted a 2-day workshop for SELD engineers to provide a knowledge exchange platform and to draw lessons for reconstruction of schools under the principle of BBB.

In the inaugural speeches, Mr Syed Sardar Ali Shah, Minister for Education and Literacy emphasized the importance of the BBB in rebuilding schools. From JICA, Mr. Goto, an expert for the JICA's technical cooperation project with the National Disaster Management Agency of Pakistan, explained the importance of land use in disaster prevention. Mr. Hashimoto, an architect shared his experience during the past JICA assisted project in Sindh where JICA has constructed 54 middle school buildings. These schools were designed and built taking into account the damages caused by the 2010 flood. As a result, they sustained the 2022 floods without significant damages and many of them were used as shelters for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Other development partners also introduced climate resilience approaches to schools reconstruction and efforts to build schools that are more resilient to climate change and disaster risks.

Engineers actively participated in the event presentation

During the workshop, SELD engineers enthusiastically discussed challenges and future directions they aim to pursue. The discussions at the workshop were summarized as a set of recommendations, which is expected to be utilized by SELD and development partners in course of rehabilitation and reconstruction of the damaged schools.