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 » Where the quake hit  |  2005 major quakes  |  Quake magnitudes

Quake zone goes to school

Educators, relief workers see opportunity in devastated region

By Zein Basravi
For CNN

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Relief workers say rebuilding from last year's quake is helping re-examine what schools in the zone need.

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United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Pakistan
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MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistani-controlled Kashmir (CNN) -- Putting education first is common in Kashmir.

At the end of the school day, Muzaffarabad's streets play host to uniformed students of all ages, books in hand. Street corners come alive with their chatter and local cafés are a favored venue for those out for a bite and a cup of chai (tea cooked in milk).

Enrollment figures are high for both genders in primary and secondary schools, as well as at college and university levels.

In comparison, the neighboring North West Frontier Province, also heavily devastated in the South Asia earthquake, has a weaker record of enrollment and retention. The province traditionally has been a target for criticism when it comes to educating girls and young women.

But officials from international aid groups and nationally based relief workers operating in NWFP say the province is misunderstood.

"I have never met a parent who does not want his or her daughter or son to be educated," said Helen Kirby, an education adviser with Save the Children based in Islamabad. "The question is how the education is offered."

The approach to evaluating education in NWFP often ignores subtle but complex issues such as belief systems, local history, terrain, infrastructure and the area's fragile economics. Kirby said these issues demand a closer study of what people in the region need.

"Many children don't have flexibility and can only access education if it's offered in a range of ways," Kirby said. "There needs to be an opportunity for girls to access a woman teacher, there needs to be an opportunity for children who are working to be able to learn at a time of day when they are not busy and for the children who can't afford to go to school, we need to find ways to make school possible."

Affordability and access to resources are big issues that have been exacerbated by the earthquake. While the government subsidizes schools, extra costs such as travel, books and uniforms can be a strain. Children from poorer families automatically are at a disadvantage.

"I think the majority of the children who are out of school here don't go to school because of economic reasons. They really have to work hard at home or earning an income. But it's not parents who have to change their ways, it's the system, and it's the duty of the system to be flexible enough to bring all children in," Kirby said.

Schools that factor in students' religious requirements are also in short supply.

"Just because the people are conservative doesn't make them any less interested in education," Kirby said.

As is the case in other parts of Pakistan, many schools in NWFP suffer under the weight of corruption and a lack of resources. Hiring often is based on favoritism and personal relationships. Teachers tend to be unqualified and many on the payroll never show up to work at government-funded schools that often don't exist.

Low salaries stunt motivation and the absence of a functional system of accountability means there is no way to monitor progress.

Kashmir has a higher income, a greater density of schools and a longer scholastic history. More people from the area live abroad in Europe or the United States, which means the area has a broader understanding of the outside world and the value of a good education.

But for all its advantages, the province is not immune to the problems of poor governance. Classrooms lack necessary supplies and even though the region boasts a high literacy rate, the school systems often lack a monitoring system for their programs.

Relief workers say last year's devastating earthquake left a thin but silver lining on the dust clouds hanging over rubble-strewn cities. The impact of the disaster, coupled with the heavy presence of international aid groups, put the region under the microscope and created an opportunity to explore social vulnerabilities.

For children, especially those who have never been to school, it means the chance to get into classrooms. For aid groups such as UNICEF it means the opportunity to get them excited about being there.

"We're trying to make sure that all the elements of education are in place," said Chiharu Kondo, an education officer with UNICEF in Muzaffarabad. "If there are children who have never been to school before the earthquake, we have to encourage them to come to school, because this is a great opportunity for them."

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