LAYYAH, Sept 13 The worst flooding may affect the studies of 50,000 students of flood ravaged 14 union councils of Layyah district where 285 schools have been affected, Dawn has learnt.

Education department officials say there are 1,575 schools in the district and the affected schools are located in union councils of Kotla Haji Shah, Basti Shadu Khan, Lohanch Nashaib, Sahuwala, Baseera, Bhakkari Ahmad Khan, Warah Seharan, Jhakhar, Karor Thal Jandi, Bait Wasawa, Shahpur, Samtia, Sarishta Thal Jandi and Kot Sultan.

Though the government has announced that the schools will open on Sept 14, many schools in the district are in a shambles and need repair works.

Dawn visited a few areas and found many schools partially or completely damaged. These schools included middle schools of Khanwala, Aulakh Nashaib Basti Kherani and Bait Guji and primary schools of Serai Shumali, Sumra Nashaib Junoubi (old), Gurmani, Mustafa Khanwala, Mirani Pakka, Patti Gishkori, Basti Mudd, Saifullah Khanwala, Shahwala, Bait Wasawa Kalroo, Basti Juglani, Mohammad Khanwala, Chit Kalroo, Sakhaniwala, Basti Panwar, Habib Zorwala, Booring Irshadwala, Machi Mauza Bait Guji, Basti Juglani Kot Sultan, Wairar Nashaib, Thori, Basti Sinjrani, Basti Haidru, Pakka Mirani, Basti Sinjrani, Gut Nashaib, Bati Awan Kunal Nashaib, Nusratwala, Khyber Gishkori and Bhakkari Ahmad Khan.

The primary schools of Bhakkara and Bait Gadi are functional in makeshift arrangements.

The buildings of the affected schools have developed cracks, and the boundary walls of many schools are broken.

According to official figures, the literacy rate of Layyah is 42 per cent and the flood ravaged areas have only 18 per cent of the literacy rate.

Kashif Rafique, an engineer, estimates that Rs1.25 billion would be needed to construct these schools.

Former education sector reform programme chairman Mahr Fazal Husain demanded that the chief minister announce a Rs2 billion project for the rehabilitation of Layyah schools.

Executive Education Officer-education Abdul Wahid Aulakh said planning and development department officials had visited the schools and the rehabilitation work would begin soon.