ISLAMABAD, Oct. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- A total of 1,610 students have been killed and 2,159 schools completely destroyed in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) since a devastating earthquake hit Pakistan on Oct. 8, according to the provincial education minister.

    Maulana Fazal Ali Haqqani said on Tuesday that a total of 4,545schools also damaged in the earthquake and a committee is conducting a survey to finalize a report.

    The quake hit five districts that include Mansehra, Abbotabad, Batgram, Shangla, and Swat.

    Haqqani said that only in Mansehra 70 teachers have been missing and it is thought that they died.

    Asked when the schools will be opened, he said a plan has been prepared. "If we start education process in tents, it would cost a lot of money for tents only," he said.

    He said most of the school buildings are in such a condition that they can not be utilized due to risk factor.

    "In this situation opening of schools was a bit difficult," he said. The minister said that he had a meeting with Pakistan's prime Minister and president in this connection and they told him that tents would be provided for the purpose.

    Haqqani said the provincial government has placed a request to the federal government and also talked to donors like UNICEF and UNESCO for financial assistance to rebuild the schools.

    Asked about any plan about examination and other formalities of education process as the affected children wouldn't be able to fulfill them, the NWFP education minister said that the government will check that how many courses they have completed and then what relief the government could possibly give them.

    Asked about the strategy for those children who have been disabled in the quake, Haqqani said that the government has talked to the World Bank and it has assured full cooperation in this regard. Enditem