PAKISTAN EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND (ERF)
Creating Child Friendly Classrooms for Children in partially Damaged School of Thatta

The 2010 devastating floods in the Thatta District have caused multipronged effects on education as well since schools and colleges in affected areas have shut down while those in safer areas had been converted into relief camps.  According to various assessment reports, it is feared that hundreds of schools in the flood-hit towns and villages have been damaged or destroyed in the disaster and learning activities halted. According to Secretary Education Sindh, education of 200,000 students in 4,500 schools has been affected due to the floods in Sindh. In Thatta district more than 700 schools have been partially damaged. 

In case of partial damage, Thatta, is one of the districts having large number of schools that have been partially damaged.  In term of gender disparities in the primary education, the pre flood and the post flood enrolments show some interesting trends. Enrolments have dramatically dropped for girls in Thatta and some other flood affected districts (Larkana, Noushero Feroze, Sukkur and Jamshoro).  The assessment reports indicate that minor repairs such as cleaning and washing floors; repainting; repairing doors and windows; and reinstalling mirrors is required in partially damaged schools of district Thatta.  CGN-P’s team also visited selected partially damaged schools in Tehsil Sajawal of Thatta district and has reported that all school need white wash; repair/polishing of furniture and fumigation.  Besides that most of the schools need repairs to infrastructure (rooms, toilet and boundary walls), repairs of electrical wiring, main gates, floor of rooms, doors and windows, clean drinking water facilities and restoration of sanitation services.

In order to work towards improving access to and quality of education services for children in the flood affected districts, CGN-P has selected 133 partially damaged primary schools for intervention.  CGN-P plans to carry out refurbishment so that children will have appropriate physical and psychological environment for learning. CGN-P team feels that there is need to provide them with an improved learning environment in class room and child friendly learning materials that will help bring normalcy in their life. In this destabilised situation it is an imperative to address the educational needs of flood-affected children in Sindh province through child friendly classrooms.
CGN-P had submitted a is proposing to UNOCHA requesting funds for establishment of Child Friendly classrooms in 133 partially damaged primary schools of Tehsil Sajawal of District Thatta which has been approved by UNOCHA.  CGN-P would implement its tried and tested interactive teaching & learning methodologies program in these schools to improve the learning outcomes of children by involving children families and community. CGN-P will also enhance the professional teaching skills of teachers to create a conducive physical and psychological environment for all children. Children with special needs and minor challenges would also be included in the main stream. 

The project would benefit more than 340 teachers and 30 local educational department officials in establishing Child Friendly Classrooms for Children. More than 10,000 children would benefit from this project. More than 660 members of School Management Committees will be oriented on their role in development of school. The main objective of the program is to contribute to the stabilization and well-being of flood affected population (IDPs) (boys and girls, women and men, minorities and persons with special needs) especially children, teachers and school management. CGN-P would like to implement its tried and tested interactive teaching & learning methodologies program in these schools to improve the learning outcomes of children by involving children families and community. CGN-P will also enhance the professional teaching skills of teachers to create a conducive physical and psychological environment for all children. Children with special needs and minor challenges would also be included in the main stream.