Government plans tent schools for regular classes

KARACHI: The Sindh government intends to establish tent schools for holding regular classes that have been suspended for the last two months as flood-affected people were staying in government school buildings throughout the province.

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah informed this to a delegation of different United Nations organisations which called upon him at the Chief Minister’s House on Thursday.

The delegation included Louis Georges Aresnault of United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Dr Eric Laroche of World Health Organisation (WHO) and David Kaatrud of World Food Program (WFP).

According to an official handout, the chief minister informed the delegation that most of the relief camps were established in schools buildings and the government wanted to resume classes by establishing schools in tents, for which the government needed tents at the earliest.

He told the representatives that over 7 million people have been affected in the province and underlined the need for cooperation from the whole world as the government was facing difficulties to rehabilitate the displaced population.

Shah also said the government needed water-purifying units to provide clean drinking water to the flood affectees at relief camps and avoid the spread of water-borne diseases.

The province, which depended on agriculture, has suffered the worst damage to crops, including wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane and others, he said, adding that the whole infrastructure has been destroyed.

The representatives of the UN organisations assured the chief minister of their continued cooperation in relief and rehabilitation of people.

The chief minister appreciated the role played by world organisations and international community for the rescue and relief of the flood-hit population.