Bhaktapur, August 19

Project Implementation Unit under the Ministry of Education is all set to fast-track construction of around 1,500 classrooms in 14 districts worst affected by the earthquakes last year.

Ima Narayan Shrestha, chief, PIU, said they have already prepared work procedure to fast-track school reconstruction this year.

“We have already prepared work procedure to fast-track school reconstruction and sent it to National Reconstruction Authority for approval. We have also sought Rs 5 billion for the purpose,” he added.

Shrestha informed that they will be preparing two-classroom, three classroom, four-classroom, six-classroom and eight-classroom buildings through fast-track process. While the two and three-classroom buildings will be built within this fiscal, six and eight-classroom buildings will be constructed within two years.

As per the work procedure, the PIU will ask the school principals to submit proposal for school reconstruction. Respective district education offices will verify the proposals with the help of engineers. “We will give priority to schools on the basis of number of students and the enormity of the damage,” he added.

As per the proposal, the budget will be directly handed over to school management committees. PIU has also decided to give priority to schools that are running classes up to Grade VIII. The PIU was established last year but it has not been able to expedite reconstruction of schools due to budget crunch.

Till date, PIU has announced tender for reconstruction of 64 schools while some schools in Lalitpur district have begun reconstruction works.

Asian Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency have also offered to reconstruct around 450 schools.

The devastating earthquakes last year damaged 9,353 schools in 59 districts across the country.

Similarly, around 1,200 students and 68 teachers died in the quakes.