RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has sought reports on missing facilities in all district schools within a week, so that funds may be released next month.

A senior education department official told Dawn that the government wished to restore missing facilities in government-run schools in all 36 provincial districts in the next fiscal year.

“Although funds were not allocated in the annual development programme for education for 2016-17, the provincial government will utilise funds to end missing facilities from block allocation – money reserved for emergency purposes without any programme allocation,” he said.

“Electricity, water, toilets, boundary walls and furniture will be provided in all the schools. Many schools in the province are still facing shortages of these facilities,” he said.

Survey of 1,946 schools in Rawalpindi to begin today, govt seeks report within a week

However, the official said the construction of new classrooms is included in the list of missing facilities. For this, the government has launched another scheme.

“The government will start construction work in schools in the summer, after Eidul Fitr,” he said.

He said a survey of 1,946 schools in Rawalpindi will begin on Saturday.

“Most schools in small towns, and even in the main city, are lacking the facility of toilets and furniture,” he said.

“Almost all the schools in the city area are getting drinking water from the main supply line, and students use the water without filtering it. Filtration plants need to be installed in schools,” the official said.

Another official from the education department said the government has failed to rebuild the collapsed Mission High School on Iqbal Road, the Islamia high school on Murree Road, the girls’ schools in Saddar and over 28 other schools on the periphery of the city.

Executive District Officer (Education) Qazi Zahoorul Haq confirmed that the government has sought a report on missing facilities in schools within a week.

He said the department had begun the initial work, and the heads of boys’ and girls’ schools are to submit details of missing facilities within two days.

“The survey of the schools with start on Saturday, to check the reports from headmasters and headmistresses,” he said.

He said work on the reconstruction of dangerous buildings has begun in Saddar, Rawalpindi and Gujar Khan areas, but work on the mission and Islamia high schools will begun later.

When asked about the supply of contaminated water in schools, Mr Haq said the government would install filtration plants in every school.

He said the Water and Sanitation Agency should also supply schools with clean drinking water, but had turned a blind eye and most schools in the city were receiving contaminated water.

Punjab Teachers Association district president Saghir Alam told Dawn that there are over 100 schools in the district’s rural areas, where schools are running without electricity.

“These schools are located in Kalar Syedan, Chauntra, Rajdhani and the villages of Rawalpindi and Gujar Khan,” he said.

He said such activities should have begun before the announcement of the provincial budget.

“The funding will be limited to some areas in the coming days, or the government will launch the project in phases after getting the report,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2016