Kathmandu, April 22

Of the total 7,923 schools in 32 districts that were damaged in the 2015 earthquakes, 3,613 schools, most of which had suffered only partial damage, have been rebuilt.

According to the Post Disaster Recovery Framework  issued on May 2016 by the CLPIU-E, all the earthquake damaged schools  should be reconstructed within three years. However, nearly three years after the earthquakes, 4,310 schools still await reconstruction.

Only two secondary schools with 18 to 25 classrooms and facilities like laboratories, libraries and other amenities, have completed reconstruction under ‘Complete School Approach’ programme.

Speaking at a press meet organised by Education Journalist Network Nepal today, Project Director of Central Level Project Implementation Unit (Education) Ima Narayan Shrestha said, “Many of the reconstructed schools had suffered partial damage.”

Officials of CLPIU-E had earlier said in around 60 per cent schools the government needed to rebuild only two to four rooms. More than 75 per cent of destroyed schools are being reconstructed under their respective school management committees.

CLPIU-E works under the Ministry of Education which is authorised to expedite reconstruction of schools affected by the earthquake under directives from National Reconstruction Authority.

A total of 420 secondary schools will be rebuilt with support from international organisations under Complete School Approach programme. ADB is undertaking construction of 137 schools, JICA 240, USAID  17 and JFPR eight schools. JICA and ADB have completed reconstruction of one school each.