UNICEF assures the Sindh govt of cooperation in flood affected areas

Staff Reporter
KARACHI: Chief Education UNICEF Ms Ellen Von held a meeting with Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah at Umerkot on Thursday.
Sindh Minister for Education Syed Sardar Ali Shah briefed Chief Education UNICEF Ms Ellen Von regarding damage caused by rain/ flood to the educational institutions of the province. It was informed that as per initial survey above 22000 school buildings are fully or partially damaged. Due to this calamity, 2.8 million children’s education have suffered. Further, he lamented that already education of children had been hit by COVID and schools remained closed for above one year. Highlighting response actions to the current rain/flood emergency, the Minister told the UNICEF Education Chief that keeping in view educational losses of children of Sindh the provincial governments has come up with initiative of Temporary Learning Centre (TLC) for rain affected children at tent cities.
He further stated that such a project was started from Umerkot the home district of the education minister and a TLC was inaugurated on 5th September 2022. Now these TLCs are being established across Sindh and above 1000 TLCs are either opened or their locations are well identified and the same are established on a daily basis. Learning material is being provided by the School Education department with support and coordination of UNICEF at the TLCs.
UNICEF Chief appreciated the rapid response of the education department under robust leadership of the Minister Education and briefed the Minister purpose of her visit of Umerkot Sindh that is to assess overall rain/ flood damages and educational losses in particular. She remarked that in current situation, initiative of TLC seem feasible alternative to compensate education losses and ensure continuity of education in such an emergency.
Ms Ellen shared that initially UNICEF was supporting the education department in 8 districts for establishing and smoothly running TLCs.