CHITRAL, Dec 27: The dilapidated buildings of 54 government schools in three union schools have been repaired under the Refugees Affected and Hosting Areas Programme of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of a four-day training workshop for teachers here on Monday, the education coordinator of Sarhad Rural Support Programme, Salahuddin, said that dilapidated infrastructure of the schools was adversely affecting the academic activities of students.

He said that the three union councils -- Ayun, Drosh-I and Drosh-II -- were selected owing to concentration of Afghan refugees in those areas.

“The locals have been affected by the presence of refugees,” he said. He added that RAHA programme was aimed at restoring the infrastructure in those union councils and education was also one of the affected sectors.

Mr Salahuddin said that initially 35 schools, mostly for girls, were selected by the education department. He said that restoration was carried out in the target schools through participatory approach and parents-teachers councils of the respective schools were involved in the process.

He said that 80 per cent schools in the areas had no sufficient space for the students and there was acute shortage of classrooms. He said that shortage of furniture, toilets and boundary-walls were also common problems of those schools.

He showed with the help of slides girl students sitting in muddy rooms and the unhygienic environment. He showed studentsof primary schools consuming contaminated water from a pond.

Mr Salahuddin said that such schools were either provided with furniture or carpets for seating of the students. He said that computers were also provided to a number of schools.

He eulogised the efforts of chief executive officer of SRSP, Shahzada Masoodul Mulk, for his support in the renovation of schools.