SHANGLA: Residents of Dherai area of Shangla have demanded of the education department the appointment of teaching staff to the government girls’ high school.

Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, they said the secondary school section was built two years ago, but it was yet to be made functional.

They said 56 girls had passed the eighth grade examination, but could not get further education because of non-availability of teachers for ninth and 10th grades.

They said some of the students had to get admission at a distant school in Alpuri.

Ijaz Ahmed, a local, said it was the only girls’ high school for the students of Dherai and Pir Abad union councils.

He said local elders had submitted several applications to the female education department seeking appointment of teachers, but to no avail.

Shamsur Rehman, a former district councillor, said non-appointment of teachers to the school negated the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s education emergency in the province.

The school was handed over to the female education department a year ago, he pointed out, saying he had highlighted the issue in the district council, and had also been assured by the former district education officer to appoint teachers to the school.

Amir Rehman, a resident of Pir Abad, said their daughters had been deprived of the basic right of getting education at their doorstep.

He said most of the girls wanted to become teachers after completing their studies, but lack of educational institutions was a big hindrance.

Mohammad Gul, a civil society activist, said the district education officer (female) had not been coming to her office for last six months, thus inconveniencing the teachers and other officers visiting her office.

Dawn attempted to contact the education officer for her comments on the matter, but she did not attend the phone calls.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2020