Islamabad, February 11, 2026: The Government of Japan, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed an Exchange of Notes and a Grant Agreement on Wednesday for a project aimed at strengthening the disaster resilience of educational infrastructure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The initiative, supported by a Japanese grant of JPY 427 million (approximately USD 2.7 million), will focus on rehabilitating and retrofitting schools damaged by the 2025 cloudbursts and flash floods, which affected 437 schools across the province. Swat and Buner were among the hardest-hit districts, where education services faced severe disruption.
The project seeks to restore safe, resilient, and functional learning environments by reinforcing school structures and improving ventilation and lighting. It will also reinstate gender-sensitive water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities to ensure dignity, privacy, and accessibility for girls and children with disabilities.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Japan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Akamatsu Shuichi, reaffirmed Japan’s continued support for Pakistan’s resilience agenda and described strengthening school infrastructure as a critical investment in protecting children and ensuring educational continuity amid climate-induced disasters.
Kazuko Ishigaki, UN-Habitat Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, highlighted the organisation’s role in delivering safer learning environments. She noted that retrofitted schools would provide structurally stable classrooms, improved ventilation, and essential WASH services, enabling children to learn with confidence, safety, and dignity. By positioning schools as hubs for disaster preparedness and response, the project will also enhance community resilience and emergency response capacities.
Sugawara Takayuki, Senior Representative of JICA, said the initiative reflects JICA’s disaster risk reduction approach of “Promoting Build Back Better,” ensuring affected areas are reconstructed in a way that is more resilient to future disasters and supports sustainable economic and social development.
United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mohamed Yahya expressed appreciation to the Government of Japan and JICA for their partnership with Pakistan and the UN. He noted that the initiative aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and supports Pakistan’s implementation of the Sendai Framework, advancing resilience for vulnerable communities.
Through the construction and rehabilitation of disaster-resilient schools, along with disaster preparedness training, the collaborative effort aims to reduce loss of life, minimize economic damage, and strengthen human security in flood-affected areas.
