KOHAT, Oct 28: The district government has illegally occupied 16 rooms of a building of the Regional Institute of Female Teachers Education by establishing unauthorized girls high and primary schools.

Out of the 21 rooms meant for offices and hostel for trainee teachers, 16 rooms had illegally been allotted to the government girls primary school, and high school, sub-sections of the Girls High School No.1, where over 810 students were enrolled.

Teachers in these unauthorized schools were drawing salaries from their parent organizations.

After the set-up of the schools, only five rooms were left for the 124 trainee teachers.

Presently, 26 PTC trainees of Barani Project Course and 97 students of English Medium Model Laboratory School have been attending classes in these rooms.

During a visit to the institute, it was observed that eight senior teachers were sharing single room whereas other two rooms were being used for office.

In this situation, there are only four bathrooms and toilets left for 124 trainees.

The institute offers long and short term courses for the SET, PTC, CT, DM teachers and also impart training to fresh teachers.

The Elementary College for Teachers, which was providing on-job training to teachers since 1987 belonging to the southern NWFP, was renamed as RITE (F) after remaining closed for nine months.

The NWFP through a notification issued on Jan 1, 2003, had closed down all the elementary training institutes in the province.

However, after realising their importance, the government again issued a circular on Oct 1, 2003, that these institutions might continue functioning under the new name of RITE.

But during these nine months, the district government opened branches of the school without the permission of the provincial government.

Now the district government in violation of the rules has been asking the RITE to vacate the building and arrange another place with the help of the provincial education department.

It is regrettable that after the passage of even one year, the provincial government and the district administration have failed to amicably solve the problem.

Earlier, the district government had opposed the establishment of a Virtual University approved by the NWFP governor in the same building and then it transferred some students and staff from other schools and illegally occupied the building.

The chairman of the district education committee, Dr Matiullah Shah, when contacted, said the staff and students were shifted to ease burden on teachers and for the convenience of a large number of students belonging to the eastern part of the district who had to cover long distances to reach their schools.

He also said that when the students had been shifted, the building was lying vacant. And when the provincial government reinstated the training institutes more than 800 students had been enrolled. Now they could not be accommodated anywhere, he said.