JP\/4\/Aceh<\/p>\n
UNICEF to start building Aceh schools<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post
\nBanda Aceh<\/p>\n
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) will soon start the
\nconstruction of hundreds of school buildings in tsunami-hit Aceh
\nand Nias Island.<\/p>\n
The UN agency on Friday signed an agreement here with the
\nAgency for the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Aceh and Nias
\nto start the construction of 350 new school buildings and repair
\n200 damaged or old school buildings worth US$90 million. The
\nconstruction work will start this month and is expected to be
\ncompleted in 2007.<\/p>\n
The agreement was signed by UNICEF representative in Indonesia
\nGianfranco Rotigliano and agency head Kuntoro Mangkusubroto.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that some 230 new school buildings would be
\nset up in Aceh, which bore the brunt of the Dec. 26 tsunami that
\nkilled more than 130,000 people and left half a million people
\nhomeless in the area. The remainder will be developed in North
\nSumatra's Nias.<\/p>\n
The plan to start the reconstruction work comes amid improving
\nsecurity conditions in Aceh after the government signed a long-
\nawaited peace deal with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Aug. 15.<\/p>\n
Despite the huge amount of tsunami aid pledged by foreign
\ndonors, reconstruction work in Aceh had been slowed by security
\nconcerns.<\/p>\n
Rotigliano said UNICEF was committed to helping reconstruct
\nschool buildings in Aceh.<\/p>\n
The UN body had met many times with officials and informal
\nleaders before it started the reconstruction work. Consultation
\nwas crucial to help ensuring the buildings would be accepted by
\nthe local people, particularly the children, Rotigliano said.<\/p>\n
UNICEF previously set up some 200 temporary schools across
\nAceh to allow children living in makeshift camps to immediately
\nresume school activities.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp4aceh-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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