Quake-hit schools: KP government spending Rs 8 billion on reconstruction: Imran

Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Tuesday said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is spending Rs 8 billions to reconstruct the schools hit by earthquake in 2005. Talking to reporters after inaugurating the upgraded schools in Abbottabad, Khan said, "2500 schools were destroyed 11 years ago and 700 of them haven't been touched yet". He further explained that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is spending 8 billion rupees on schools. However, he said the federal government has failed to fulfil its promise of funds for this purpose.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education, Muhammad Atif Khan, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for Information, Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani, Additional Secretary Education, Qaiser Alam, high officials from departments concerned were also present during the inaugural ceremony. The PTI chief went on to say that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif promised 15 billion rupees for the schools destroyed during the earthquake, but only 4 billion rupees fund are pending for the past one year. He said that 600 schools are partially restored whereas 700 schools were never touched.
Around five per cent schools were without any walls and students that forced to study in the open, while incumbent provincial coalition government is taking realistic steps for change instead of focusing on roads and trains, Khan said. He said that billions were received in funds for earthquake victims but no one is held accountable for these funds. the KP government injected 44 billion rupees.
Khan stressed that only depoliticised institutions enable the country to move forward and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa all the institutions have been depoliticised. He said that real change could be brought through eliminating political interference at all levels in the educational sector. He said the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa finally took responsibility of reconstructing these schools and it is investing Rs 8 billion on the project.
Criticising the PML-N government's Orange Line train project in Lahore, Khan asked: "How do we justify Rs 200 billion on one train when Rs 8 billion can build 760 schools?" He said 50% of our population is under 30 and the main premise of progress needs to be education, not trains. Earlier, speaking on the occasion, KP Minister for Education, Atif Khan reaffirmed the commitment of provincial government toward promotion of quality education and to provide all facilities at public sector education institutions. He further said that PTI-led Provincial government's educational policy was meant to ensure access of each and every child to basic and quality education across the province and for the purpose all available resources were being carried out. He added that all educational projects meant for promotion of education would be completed within stipulated time at all cost.
The Minister said that short, medium and long term steps were being introduced to improve education sector, adding that serious efforts were being taken to introduce digital literacy and in this regard agreements were being finalised with IT companies. He said there was no scarcity of funds for education sector, therefore, no excuse would be accepted in delaying the schemes of education sector.
On the occasion, official of education departments and relevant authoritiest, apprised the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf about progress of reconstruction of schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa hit by earthquake in 2005. Imran Khan directed the authorities for reconstruction of all damaged schools on fast-track basis and would ensure all facilities at government run schools, to ease access to education facility to every child in the province.