‘Schools on Wheels’ project to be expanded to flood-hit areas

Islamabad: The government has decided to expand the scope of the 'Schools on Wheels' project to all those areas that were hit by the devastating floods during the monsoon season last year.

Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) Director Academics Riffat Jabeen has said 200 students from 3 to 5 years of age are currently getting education under the 'Schools on Wheels' project in the federal capital.

“The number of buses in which these mobile schools are operating will be increased in near future to provide more children with this educational facility. This project will also be initiated in flood-affected areas where small children have been deprived of their education due to the destruction of basic infrastructure,” she said.

The bright-coloured buses of the project have been decorated with balloons and the windows painted with alphabets and cartoons. The mobile classrooms are bright and clean and filled with images of alphabets, numbers, days of the week, and pictures of fruit and animals.

Riffat Jabeen said “Each bus has a capacity of 25 students and 8 buses are being used as mobile schools at the moment. The curriculum is similar to the one that is being used in the government schools all over the country.”

She informed that they have hired Montessori-trained teachers who are imparting education using teaching materials including smart boards, worksheets, books, games, library, and art materials. “Each bus will also have a sports teacher that will promote physical activities among the students who are also getting food during learning sessions,” she said.

The physical facilities in these mobile schools comprise an air conditioner, temperature control, customized furniture, an extendable tent, backup batteries, a generator, a wash facility, and an emergency exit. The FDE Director Academics said, “The project aims to bring education to the doorstep of disadvantaged children to give them a chance to learn and develop a love for school and love for education.”

“All these students will be given admission in mainstream schools after completion of their initial learning in these mobile schools. The government will also expand the project to Azad Jammu and Kashmir to protect children from child labor and provide them with educational facilities,” she said.