The Strengthening Disaster Resilience of Educational Infrastructure (SDERI) project has been developed with in consultation of E&SED KP, in response to the 2025 floods, during which more than 437 schools including boundary wall, WASH facilities and outer the premises development work was damaged while the education sector was still recovering from the impacts of previous flood events. Recent flash floods, and most notably cloudburst incidents, have further highlighted the high exposure and vulnerability of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to climate-induced hazards. Swat was among the hardest-hit districts, followed by Shangla and Buner. This project targets school in district Buner and Swat.

The project applies a Build Back Better and Safer approach to protect children, ensure continuity of education, and strengthen institutional capacity for long-term resilience. In addition to infrastructure upgrades, SDERI enhances school-level preparedness and risk reduction through DRR awareness, evacuation drills, first aid training and kits, hygiene promotion, and the provision of essential emergency response tools. Under this project up to 120 schools’ rooms and WASH facilities will be rehabilitated.

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 of the project during a signing ceremony held on 11 February 2026.

Objective:  Restore safe, resilient, and inclusive learning environments in flood-affected districts of KP, with a focus on girls, by rehabilitating school infrastructure and restoring reliable WASH services, responding to the urgent and necessary needs of disrupted education, supported by disaster preparedness and healthy behavior practices.

OUTCOME 1: Rehabilitated schools provide safe, inclusive and functional learning environments, evidenced by resilient infrastructure, reliable WASH services and sustained improvements in disaster preparedness and healthy behavior practices.

Output 1.1: School infrastructure in targeted districts is rehabilitated and strengthened against earthquake and floods with classrooms, boundary walls, access paths and essential furniture restored for safe and functional use.

Key Interventions

The project will rehabilitate and strengthen flood- and earthquake-affected school buildings through structural repairs, resilient finishes, and restoration of utilities. Site improvements will enhance drainage, erosion control, plinth protection, safe access paths, and landscaping. Where overcrowding exists, additional classrooms and resilient boundary walls will be constructed to improve learning conditions and enable schools to serve as safe community shelters.

Functional, gender-segregated WASH facilities will be rehabilitated or installed, including toilets, handwashing stations, safe drinking water points, menstrual hygiene–friendly features, and improved drainage. Water security will be supported through boreholes and rooftop rainwater harvesting systems. Accessibility will be improved through ramps, handrails, non-slip surfaces, and inclusive toilets and water points. Essential furniture will be replaced, and temporary learning spaces arranged when needed to avoid disruption during works.

Alongside infrastructure upgrades, the project will strengthen school preparedness and resilience through DRR and hygiene promotion, evacuation drills, first aid training and kits, basic emergency tools, and school safety planning.