NGOs/INGOs to rebuild schools

Bhaktapur, June 10

More than 150 NGOs/INGOs have acquired permission from the Ministry of Education to reconstruct school buildings damaged in the devastating earthquakes last year in various parts of the country.

Ima Narayan Shrestha, chief, Project Implementation Unit under the Ministry of Education, today said that more than 150 NGOs/INGOs had acquired permission to reconstruct 1,000 plus school buildings, mostly in the 14 districts worst affected by the earthquakes.

“We have already signed an agreement with these NGOs/INGOs for reconstruction of schools,” said Shrestha.

The NGOs/INGOs should at first apply to the district education offices with proposals to reconstruct schools. On the recommendation of DEOs, PIU forwards such applications to the National Reconstruction Authority. “Only after approval from NRA, we sign an agreement with the NGOs/INGOs for school reconstruction,” he informed.

According to Shrestha, INGOs such as Save the Children, Room to Read and others have agreed to spend more budget for school reconstruction.

“New NGOs/INGOs are approaching the government for school reconstruction,” he said, adding, “NGOs/INGOs and private contractors will have to build the schools within 15 to 18 months.”

He mentioned that the NGOs/INGOs could either choose the building design prepared by the Department of Education or get their designs approved by the Department of Urban Development and Building Reconstruction.

Till date PIU had already announced tender to reconstruct schools in four districts  16 in Gorkha, 11 in Sindhupalchowk and Kavre and five in Lalitpur district. Similarly, it is also preparing to announce tender for school reconstruction in Nuwakot, Dhading and Makawanpur districts.

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.