Transitional School Structures provide conducive learning environment for girls in Balochistan
UNICEF and GPE help School Education Department enroll and retain students in the aftermath of floods
Lasbela District, Balochistan: “We used to sit by our damaged school thinking that we may never get a chance to learn again,” says ten-year-old Aqsa Mustafa, recalling the aftermath of floods that hit Pakistan in 2022.
“I had just started coming to school when the flood water destroyed everything. There was no other school close to our village. I stayed at home all day helping my mother with her work but missed my school a lot.”
“When they started building the new school, we were very excited. They told us that it will be better than the one before.”
"Our new school is so beautiful! We have a toilet, clean water, a playground, a fan, and new bags and books," Aqsa beams with pride, her eyes sparkling.
A newly built colourful structure of the Government Girls Primary School in village Mohammad Ramzan Jamot, Lasbela district, is like an oasis in the desert for the children of this area.
As the only source of learning in a 15-kilometer radius, this school is a beacon of hope not only for the 45 students enrolled here but also for the 120 families living close by in a cluster of four villages.
The old school consisted of a mud structure reinforced with bamboo supports and adorned with dried cutaway branches, to protect children from harsh sunlight.
“The new school building is a blessing for these children,” says Naheeda Jamal, teacher at the GGPS, Mohammad Ramzan Jamot.
“This is the only primary school for girls here. Since it started in the new structure, the enrollment has been consistently increasing.”
“I am the only teacher in the school but have Shagufta, a volunteer who helps me in academic work and managing the children.”
Naheed and Shagufta are helping children learn with the help of new teaching and learning materials that they have received after the school's inauguration. The school structure is supported with a toilet and a water source which provides clean drinking water.
They are hopeful that most of the girls in the TSS will complete their primary education but may face difficulty in continuing their education as the nearest middle school for girls is about 25 kilometers away.
Though the 2022 floods in Pakistan devastated large areas affecting nearly 33 million people, it created opportunities for hundreds of thousands of children who are now learning in a safer and cleaner environment through improved learning materials. Thanks to the humanitarian efforts led by the Government of Pakistan and assisted by its development partners including UNICEF and the Global Partnership for Education.
Balochistan is area-wise the largest province of Pakistan. Around 60 to 70 per cent children of primary age group are reportedly out of school. More girls, around 78 percent than boys, around 63 percent.
In 2021, the School Education Department (SED), Govt. of Balochistan, initiated the implementation of the Balochistan Student Learning Improvement Programme (BSLP), which is funded by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and has technical support from UNICEF.
The objective of this five-year programme is to improve students’ learning outcomes and the quality of teaching and learning in the province as envisaged in the Balochistan Education Sector Plan 2020-2025.
The implementation of the programme was severely impacted by the flood emergency of 2022.
The generous contribution from GPE allowed to redirect part of the programme funds for immediate response activities in the flood-affected districts of Balochistan. This has resulted in the restoration of clean and safe education facilities for thousands of children.
Soon after the floods, a total of 77 Temporary Learning Centres (TLC) were established under this programme in the affected areas of the province. Nearly 5000 children benefitted from these centres. As people started to move back to their native areas, these centres were closed.
Now that people have moved back to their native areas, 110 Transitional School Shelter (TSS) have been established in public schools which were damaged or destroyed by the floods helping around 4500 students to return to education.
UNICEF-supported temporary school construction aims to reduce the key barriers to girls’ education through building gender-sensitive water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities, creating safe learning environments, especially for girls.
“Construction of this TSS has resulted in attracting young girls to education,” says Mohammad Anwar, District Education Officer, Uthal, who supervises public education institutions in the area.
“The new school structure is climate resistant as it has been built on elevated ground. In case of future flooding, this structure is not likely to be damaged. It is well lit and has good ventilation. For summers, it has ceiling fans which are powered by solar energy. It also has a toilet and safe drinking water source. All these features will help in retention of students,” explains Mohammad Anwar.
For many children in Balochistan, TLCs and TSSs have provided their first chance to education. For others who dropped out of school earlier, it is an opportunity to rejoin and catch up. Children receiving education in these centres are not only moving towards a better future but are also inspiring those who are still out of school to avail the opportunity.
