UN: Floods hit 10,000 Pakistani schools

The United Nations says flooding has damaged more than 10,000 schools and educational centers across the flood-affected areas of Pakistan.

Umar Amal, an official with the UNESCO, told a news conference in Islamabad on Wednesday that millions of students have been left without a school to attend.

“Five to six percent of all schools have been damaged by the floods. This means that between 1.5 and 2.5 million students have been affected,” Amal said.

“That number can rise and it will rise,” he added.

This comes as illiteracy is one of Pakistan’s major problems and the overall adult literacy rate is 57 percent.

Militants have destroyed hundreds of school in Swat valley and other northwestern regions over the past three years.

The UN has appealed for another two-billion dollars to help the flood-stricken people.

The world body says 21 million people have been affected and more than half are in need of emergency aid.

Survivors have been left without food, water, shelter and other basic necessities in Pakistan as a result of last month’s flooding.

Heavy rains in July caused an area the size of England to go under water. More than 1,760 people have lost their lives due to the weeks-long floods.

Experts say floods are threatening political and economic stability in the South Asian country as well.

The people in flood-hit areas say feudal farmlands and influential politicians used their influence to divert water away from their property and inundate the villages of millions of poor Pakistanis.

However, a Press TV correspondent says the claims are difficult to verify and in some cases may be exaggerated.