September 11: The Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a loan and grant package totaling more than $160 million to improve schools’ resilience to disasters in three provinces of Nepal.

ADB said in a statement that the project will help the Government of Nepal meet a share of the financing gap to reconstruct schools heavily damaged by the devastating earthquake of 2015.

“The newly constructed schools will not only be earthquake resilient but also provide a safe learning environment for children with improved facilities and systems,” the statement quoted ADB Country Director in Nepal Mukhtor Khamudkhanov as saying.

ADB said that Nepal faces not only weather-related hazards such as landslides, floods, and droughts, but also suffered at least four major earthquakes since 1980. Damage and losses from the 2015 earthquake amounted to more than 8,700 deaths, 22,300 injuries, 7,800 schools damaged, and 8 million people affected. According to ADB, vulnerability is heightened by poor design, quality of construction, and maintenance, as well lack of expertise on how to withstand disasters.

“The country faces a significant funding gap for reconstruction of schools following the quake. More than 2,200 of the schools are so heavily damaged that pupils are limited to makeshift shelters without adequate facilities or services such as electricity, water, and sanitation. Another 3,500 partially damaged schools are still in use but require work to shore up the buildings to protect against future quakes,” the statement said.

ADB said that the project will help fill the funding gap to rehabilitate 174 heavily damaged schools that would improve the quality of school education, access to education, and school management.

Under the project, school buildings will be reconstructed to earthquake-resilient standards and equipped with science laboratories, information and communications technology rooms, libraries, water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities that are segregated.

The total project cost is $198.86 million, for which ADB said it will provide a concessional loan of $148.86 million and a grant of $10 million. A co-financing grant of $5 million will be administered by ADB from the Clean Energy Fund under the Clean Energy Financing Partnership Facility (funded by Australia, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). The government will meet the remaining cost of $35 million for the project, which is due for completion in September 2022.