PESHAWAR: The Elementary and Secondary Education (E&SE) Department,KhyberPakhtunkhwa, has sought the help of non-governmental organisations in damage assessment and reconstruction of the quake-affected schools in the province.

The request came during a meeting called at the education department on Wednesday to review the situation regarding the damaged schools and their reconstruction, sources said. It was attended by the high-ups of the education department and representatives of differ-ent national and international NGOs.

One of the participants of the meeting told Dawn that the of ficials of the education department sought the help of NGOs in the damage assessment. He said that help of the NGOs would also be required in the reconstruction of quake-affected schools.

According to a handout, the E&SE Department has also directed all the district education officers in the province to submit their reports about hiring buildings on rent or their need for tents as a substitute for shifting students of the schools damaged in the Monday`s earthquake so that theprocess of imparting education to the students could continue without any break.

Moreover, the department has also asked the relevant quarters for preparation of a detailed technical analysis report for restoration and reconstruction of all such school buildings.

As the damage assessment of government schools continued for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, the number of damaged schools rose to 1,733 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Officials quoting the initial report compiled by the Directorate of Elementary and Secondary Education Department said that ofthe total 1,733 affected schools, 181 were extensively damaged and 1,552 partially damaged.

Data compilation has been started in 22 districts, while such data in Tor Ghar, Kohistan and Mansehra districts couldn`t be compiled because of the suspension of communication, the sources said.

They said that roads were blocked in the three districts either by heavy snowfall or landslides triggered by the earthquake.

Of the 181 extensively damaged schools 132 are for boys and 42 for girls. So far 1,012 schools for boys and 540 for girls have been reported as partially damaged, according to the official data.