The provincial departments of Civil Defence, Primary and Secondary Education and GTZ-German Technical Co-operation Saturday signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) for initiating of civil defence training for students of grade 9th and 10th in the public sector schools.
The training would be initially started under a pilot project in district Mansehra, which would later be expanded to all 24-districts in the province. Those signed the memorandum were included Director Civil Defence NWFP, Noor Ali Khan, Director Schools, Fazle Rabi while GTZ was represented by Christian Muller, Principal Advisor on Disaster Management.
The signing ceremony was held at the NWFP Directorate of Civil Defence, G.T. Road on the occasion of the certificate distribution ceremony among those who had successfully completed their training of civil defence included fire fighting, first aid and rescue.
The master trainers were provided training under the school-based program on civil defence and disaster management of the GTZ. Four Briton experts had trained the master trainers who trained volunteers and students of the grade 9 and 10 in district Mansehra.
Those who attended the singing and certificate distribution ceremony were included Director Civil Defence, Islamabad, Hanif Khattak, Additional Home Secretary Home Affairs NWFP Masood Ahmad and other officials of the civil defence while District Nazim Peshawar, Haji Ghulam Ali was chief guest on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Haji Ghulam Ali announced the establishment of a modern Disaster Management Centre and sanctioning of a fund of Rs 10 million for the project in the coming district budget. He said that construction work on the project would be started within a period of two months.
He directed the provincial department of civil defence for preparation of the feasibility report for the establishment of the Modern Disaster Centre, saying that a summary in this regard had already been submitted with the provincial government.
The district Nazim called for establishment of at least two fire brigades at Torkham and Bara in Khyber Agency. He further demanded of the Governor's House to return the fire brigade of the district government.
In his inaugural speech, Director Civil Defence NWFP, Noor Ali Khan complained of the lack of resources, saying that machinery worth million of rupees was on the verge of waste due to unavailability of nominal fund.
Christian Muller, Principal Advisor of GTZ on disaster management said that the agency is working in the province since 2007 and is holding negotiations with all stakeholders, who had agreed with the strengthening of the civil defence. He said the civil defence experts of Britain had trained master trainers, which would now train the students of grade 9 and 10 in school. He said that GTZ has furnished the training centre to provide better training environment for the training of the volunteers.