ASIA/PAKISTAN - Still no school for children in the areas hit by the earthquake in 2005

Peshawar (Agenzia Fides) - According to the estimates recorded by Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) after the earthquake that devastated Pakistan in 2005, in the district of Shangla 204 schools were destroyed and 319 were damaged, nearly 13 000 children affected. Local sources state that 60 schools have been rebuilt, already operational, but due to delays in the provision of funding the construction of more schools will be completed over the next two years. According to ERRA, in the earthquake area, 5,751 schools need to be rebuilt, 73% were completed in early September, forcing many children not to go to school for such a long period. Many teachers in the district continue to teach and try to do their best in terrible and unsafe buildings. International organizations such as Oxfam have shown disappointment over unfulfilled promises made in 2005, immediately after the earthquake. The organization considers essential a better preparation when disasters happen to mitigate those in the future. "So many children died in the district of Shangla, and other areas of the country, under the rubble of poorly constructed schools. We hope that local authorities have taken security measures to ensure that such a catastrophe does not happen again", said a representative of Oxfam. According to UNICEF, because of the earthquake about 17 000 children died, and for many of those who survived their future remains uncertain. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 11/10/2011)