School Reconstruction After Earthquake: TU Campuses Unaddressed
A decade after the 12 Baisakh 2072 earthquake, the reconstruction of physical infrastructure damaged in the education sector remains incomplete. While reconstruction of community school buildings is nearly finished, the 40 damaged constituent campuses of Tribhuvan University (TU) are still in the same condition. Reconstruction of these structures has not begun.
During the reconstruction of school buildings with the support and cooperation of donor agencies, another earthquake centered in Jajarkot in 2080 damaged school buildings in Jajarkot, Rukum and other districts. More than 95 percent of school buildings across the country damaged by the earthquake have been reconstructed with financial support from the Government of Nepal and foreign development partners, and some are still under reconstruction. However, the fact that reconstruction of the physical structures of TU’s 40 damaged constituent campuses has not started is a serious concern.
According to Ashok Adhikari, Deputy Chief of the Central Project Implementation Unit under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the main reason for the failure to reconstruct the university’s structures is the unreasonable conditions set by foreign development partners. The 2072 earthquake and its regular aftershocks caused extensive damage.
The reconstruction of damaged physical structures was a major challenge. To confront this challenge, the government called on development partners for financial assistance. Support was accordingly secured. Donor agencies expressed readiness to cooperate, and the government also arranged its own resources. As a result, within a decade, reconstruction of damaged school structures has been almost completed.
School buildings that had collapsed have been rebuilt, and community schools that had turned into ruins have been transformed. The school buildings constructed after the earthquake are not only well-built and orderly but also equipped with better facilities. From accessible areas to remote regions, school buildings have been constructed with permanent structures. Students are now able to study comfortably in classrooms. This is a positive outcome.
The building of Nepal’s oldest school, Durbar High School, has also been neatly reconstructed with the support of the Government of China. With the contributions of many supporting hands, development partners, and government investment, community school buildings are now better equipped compared to a decade ago.
At a time when resources could not be secured for the reconstruction of 14 school buildings damaged by the 2072 earthquake, the earthquake centered in Jajarkot in 2080 caused damage to school buildings in Jajarkot, Rukum West, Bajhang and Bajura. Deputy Chief Adhikari of the Central Project Implementation Unit at the Ministry of Education stated that efforts are underway to secure the required NPR 12 billion for the reconstruction of 839 school buildings damaged by the 2080 earthquake.
99 Percent of School Buildings Reconstructed
According to Deputy Chief Adhikari, the estimated cost for reconstructing 7,688 school buildings damaged by the 2072 earthquake was NPR 89 billion 1 crore 28 lakh. The reconstruction of school buildings was carried out with NPR 52 billion 53 crore 31 lakh from development partners and NPR 36 billion 47 crore 97 lakh from the Government of Nepal.
Adhikari stated that Shree Mahalngur Secondary School, reconstructed in Umakunda of Ramechhap, has become attractive. He said, “Before the earthquake, that school building was constructed using local materials, but disasters can also transform educational institutions. Now that the school buildings in remote areas damaged by the earthquake have become modern, students, parents and teachers are happy.”
According to him, the buildings of Sikral Secondary School in Manthali, Ramechhap, and Mahalngur Secondary School in the remote area of Umakunda were damaged by the earthquake. Both school buildings have been reconstructed as permanent structures with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Teaching and learning have begun there with internet facilities and smart boards.
He stated that among the 7,688 community schools damaged by the 2072 earthquake, 99 percent, or 7,660 schools, have been reconstructed. Of the remaining 28 schools, 16 are under construction, while reconstruction has not yet begun for 12 schools. Adhikari said NPR 80 crore is required to reconstruct the buildings of those 12 schools, and efforts are being made to secure the necessary financial resources.
Adhikari told Nagarik that, in recent times, some schools are facing financial crises for reconstruction, and managing funds for the maintenance of newly built school buildings is equally challenging. On the other hand, although modern buildings have been constructed, teaching and learning methods remain traditional, making the management of educational quality another challenge.
Damage to an Additional 839 School Buildings in the 2080 Earthquake
After reconstruction of school buildings damaged by the 12 Baisakh 2072 earthquake had been nearly completed with the support of the government and development partners, the earthquake centered in Jajarkot on 17 Kartik 2080 caused damage to 839 school buildings in Jajarkot, Rukum West, Bajhang and Bajura.
The responsibility for reconstructing these school buildings has also fallen on the government. The estimated requirement for this is NPR 12 billion. According to Adhikari, the target has been set to complete reconstruction of the school buildings destroyed in the recent earthquake within the next three years.
To manage financial resources for this purpose, a request has been made to the Government of India for NPR 3 billion in assistance, while ADB has confirmed NPR 2 billion and JICA has confirmed NPR 80 crore in support. The Government of Nepal has allocated NPR 27 crore. From the government’s budget, construction of 144 classrooms has begun.
372 Schools Merged, 154 Not in Operation
The 2072 earthquake damaged 9,553 school buildings in 31 districts. Of the classrooms in these schools, 21,169 were completely destroyed, 12,522 were heavily damaged, and 20,898 were partially damaged. In total, 54,589 classrooms were affected by the earthquake, according to Laxmi Prasad Bhattarai, Chief of the Central Project Implementation Unit.
According to the Unit’s “School Building Reconstruction Program and Progress Report 2081,” 372 schools have so far been merged, and 154 schools are no longer in operation.
Bhattarai said, “To secure financial resources for the reconstruction of structures damaged by the 12 Baisakh 2072 earthquake, the government organized a donor conference in Asar. Thereafter, loan agreements were signed with ADB on 7 Bhadra and with JICA on 6 Poush, and the government engaged in the process of school reconstruction. Reconstruction of all schools damaged by the earthquake, except 12, has been completed, and 16 schools are under construction.”
He explained that reconstruction work was facilitated because the government proceeded on the basis of implementation frameworks prepared by the National Reconstruction Authority in accordance with prevailing laws and agreements with development partners for reconstruction of school structures affected by the earthquake.
Activities Carried Out for Reconstruction
On 12 Poush 2072, the National Reconstruction Authority was established, and on 17 Falgun, the Central Project Implementation Unit (Education) was formed under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
In line with the decision that the Unit would commence work from 14 Shrawan 2073, reconstruction began from Falgun through school management committees. In Jestha 2075, additional Project Implementation Units were formed in six more districts.
From 1 Shrawan 2076, Units were formed in 11 additional districts to accelerate school reconstruction. The district-level Project Implementation Units have now been dissolved. To reconstruct schools in 15 districts affected by the 2080 earthquake, the mandate of the Unit has again been expanded.
According to prior agreements with development partners for reconstruction of schools damaged by the 2072 earthquake, it has been agreed that remaining funds after those activities will be used to reconstruct schools in 15 districts affected by the 2080 earthquake. In line with this agreement, construction of 41 school buildings has started in Rukum West and Jajarkot.
The government has begun reconstruction of 144 classrooms through school management committees. In Bajhang, arrangements have been made through the Global Partners Fund to construct nine schools and some temporary learning centers.
Why Were Tribhuvan University Structures Not Reconstructed?
According to Chief Bhattarai of the Central Project Implementation Unit, although the Government of Nepal was prepared to reconstruct structures of 39 TU constituent colleges with a NPR 13 billion loan from the Government of India, it withdrew after conditions were set that 51 percent of construction materials must be from India and that the construction contractors must also be Indian.
He said, “Thirty-nine constituent colleges of TU were damaged by the earthquake. The Government of Nepal was ready to work with the NPR 13 billion loan from India’s Exim Bank, but when the Government of India set the conditions that 51 percent of construction materials and the contractors must be Indian, the Government of Nepal did not agree, and reconstruction of the colleges could not proceed.”
According to him, although NPR 21 crore had been allocated in the budget to construct buildings for TU’s damaged colleges, the Ministry of Finance later withheld the amount, and the work could not move ahead. “This year, we have selected 10 college buildings for reconstruction. Once the program is approved as a multi-year project, work will begin,” he said.
According to Bhattarai, the TU structures that still require reconstruction include:
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Bhaktapur Multiple Campus
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Pulchowk Engineering Campus
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Thapathali Campus
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Tri-Chandra Campus
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Sanothimi Campus
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Nepal Commerce Campus
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Patan Multiple Campus
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Mahendra Ratna Campus
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Saraswati Campus
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RR Campus
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Nepal Law Campus
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Padma Kanya Campus
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Bishwa Bhasha Campus
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Ayurveda Campus
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Bhojpur Multiple Campus
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Birendra Multiple Campus
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Dhankuta Multiple Campus
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Agriculture Campus, Lamjung
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Hetauda Campus
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Gorkha Campus
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Dhaulagiri Multiple Campus
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Tribhuvan Multiple Campus
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Prithvi Narayan Campus
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Paschimanchal Campus
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Pokhara Nursing Campus
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Kirtipur Central Campus
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Institute of Forestry, Pokhara
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Tribhuvan University Printing Press
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ICU of the Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj
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Central Department of Botany
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Tribhuvan University Memorial Hall
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RECAST and other related buildings that remain in need of reconstruction.
