UN-Habitat Building Resilience of School Infrastructure in Collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and KP Education Department
Islamabad, – UN-Habitat is supporting the Government of Pakistan in enhancing the resilience of the school infrastructure in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Education Department through its project on Disaster Resilient School Infrastructure (DRSI). The 4th Project Steering Committee meeting held in Islamabad bringing together key stakeholders to discuss the progress to strengthen school infrastructure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The meeting highlighted the importance of building resilient school infrastructure to ensure safe and secure learning environments for children in disaster-prone regions. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Masood Ahmad, Secretary of the Elementary and Secondary Education Department, KP
Mr. Jawed Ali Khan, HPM, UN-Habitat, outlined the project’s objectives and explained that the project is promoting resilience of educational infrastructures through structural and non-structural measures and provision of necessary service infrastructure including WASH facilities. The project is contributing to the implementation of the Sendai Framework aiming to reduce lives lost, numbers of people affected, and economic damage from natural disasters. Through this project, UN-Habitat made a tangible impact on gender equality in education. The retrofitted schools saw an increase in female enrollment and attendance. In some schools, girls de up 44% of the beneficiaries of the project, demonstrating how the project helped to directly address the unique challenges faced by girls in disaster-affected areas. This progress is a reflection of UN-Habitat’s commitment to gender equality, and the project has been submitted for the UN-Habitat Gender Impact Award 2025.
Mr. Masood Amad, Secretary of the Elementary and Secondary Education Department, KP, expressed his gratitude to UN-Habitat and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) for their support in building resilience in the school infrastructure of selected districts. He emphasized the importance of earthquake-resistant schools buildings, which play a pivotal role in safeguarding both lives and education. He reaffirmed the Education Department’s commitment to ensuring safe and accessible learning spaces for all students.
Mr. Naoki Miyata, Chief Representative of JICA Pakistan, while addressing to the 4th Project Steering Committee meeting emphasized on addressing the impacts of natural disasters, complex emergencies, and displacement on education. He stressed the need for long-term solutions to build resilience through both structural and non-structural measures. Mr. Miyata reaffirmed JICA’s commitment to providing technical and financial support to further strengthen the resilience of school infrastructure and enhance education quality, contributing to global frameworks like the Sendai Framework and Sustainable Development Goal 11.
Mr. Hamid Mumtaz Deputy Programme Manger UN-Habitat shared that more than 80% Project activities shave been completed Notably, the project has gone beyond its original scope, with voluntarily undertaking additional activities such as constructing boundary walls and improving accessibility, further enhancing the safety and functionality of schools. The schools retrofitted by UN-Habitat were also evaluated against EDGE certification criteria, and the buildings were found to meet the necessary requirements for certification.
The participants emphasized on the need for continued support to expand the support to build resilient infrastructures in KP region. As the meeting concluded, Mr. Jawed Ali Khan reiterated the need for joint efforts from JICA, UN-Habitat, the Education Department, and other donors to continue building resilient school infrastructure.