ISLAMABAD: Though 22 schools in the federal capital have been renovated in the first phase of the prime minister’s reforms initiative, old sewerage systems in the schools were not replaced.

Capital Development Authority (CDA) spent Rs200 million on renovating these schools, and sources in the authority say the money was spent on paint jobs and installing new tiles while the replacement of sewerage systems was ignored even when heads of different schools had requested CDA management to do so.

Sewerage lines in G-6, G-7, F-6 and F-7 were laid in the 1960s and 1970s and some are not in proper working condition.

A CDA spokesperson said that according to the project’s bills of quantities, the replacement of sewerage systems was not part of the initiative to renovate the 22 schools.

Many FDE run schools lack proper sanitary facilities

Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) acting director general Dr Tariq Masood told Dawn the department is concerned about the sewerage lines in schools, many of which are not working properly.

When asked about the 22 recently renovated schools and their sewerage lines, the DG said: “While the renovations were being done, sewerage lines could not be replaced. However, we will ensure blocked sewerage lines are replaced.”

He said it was useless to install new tiles when the sewerage pipes were not working properly.

The renovation and maintenance work in 50 other schools in the next phase of the initiative will likely be given to the Public Works Department, instead of CDA, an FDE official told Dawn.

Other than sewerage lines, schools run by FDE also lack proper washing facilities, of which the Islamabad Model School in G-6/2 is an example. Of a total 11 washrooms in this school, which has not been renovated yet, five were closed years ago and the rest are not in adequate condition either.

“We cringe when we see the condition of the washrooms,” a student who just graduated from the school, Areeba Zahid, said. She added that whenever students have taken up the matter with the principal, they were told the problem would be fixed soon.

The school’s principal, Gulshan Ara, said she has taken up the matter with the authorities a few times and had not yet gotten a positive response.

“This is a major problem for us and it has to be fixed soon,” she said.

When she was asked about the dilapidated condition of the school’s building, she said talks were underway with FDE for the building to be repaired.

She said that despite all the problems, the school had been securing excellent results every year. “We are proud of our results,” she said.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2016