BANDA ACEH – Reconstruction of schools in Indonesia following the 2004 tsunami continues apace, with UNICEF delivering 167 schools in Aceh and Nias Island by the close of 2008. A further 59 schools and 28 community health centers are under construction.
In 2005 UNICEF committed to building at least 300 new, permanent primary schools in Aceh and Nias Island and involved UNOPS in the effort. UNOPS established its Indonesia Operations Centre (IDOC) in July 2005 to oversee construction of 226 schools from design phase, through tendering and awarding of contracts to human resource management and reporting.
Construction required transporting large quantities of supplies on poor roads, and faced rising fuel costs and limited availability of sound building materials and skilled labour.
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| A reconstructed school in Nias Island, Indonesia |
Jean Méténier, Chief of the Banda Aceh Field Office for UNICEF, said “UNOPS has overcome many challenges to help UNICEF deliver high quality schools to the beneficiaries in Aceh and Nias Island as One UN.”
According to Doudou Mbye, UNOPS IDOC Director, the schools have an innovative design and set new standards in earthquake resistance. A typical school has six classrooms, separate toilet facilities for girls and boys with washbasins to improve hygiene, a teachers’ office, an outdoor play area and a library or laboratory.
UNICEF asked UNOPS to help it build 14 of the 226 new schools in Pidie and Pidie Jaya Districts. This programme will bring new construction to areas that, while not severely affected by the 2004 tsunami, have suffered from decades of conflict.