PESHAWAR: Commissionerate Afghan Refugees and UNHCR have jointly upgraded the government-run primary and middle schools at Irrigation Colony in Peshawar under the Refugee Affected and Hosting Areas (RAHA) programme, says a statement issued here on Monday.

It said another primary school for girls in Tehkal Payan area had also been upgraded.

The total cost of the project is Rs33.6 million whereas the total fund provided to the education sector under RAHA programme is Rs902 million.

Under the initiative a total of 297 projects have been implemented in various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in multiple sectors, including health, education, water and sanitation infrastructure and livelihood.

Germany is one of the major donors of RAHA initiative and through KfW Development Bank has contributed 27.5 million investment in multiple sectors, said the statement.

RAHA seeks to increase tolerance towards Afghan refugees in Pakistan; improve social cohesion to promote co-existence, and to provide both the host Pakistani communities and Afghan refugees with development and humanitarian assistance.

With the implementation of these education projects, Afghan refugee children and Pakistani children will have greater access to education at primary level and will help create a more conducive and safe learning environment for children. -Bureau Report