February 03, 2007	Saturday	Muharram 14, 1428

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DADU, Feb 2: As many as 319 primary girls and boys schools in Dadu district and 29 in Jamshoro are lying closed, affecting the primary education in Kachho and Kohistan belts.

According to 1998 census, population of the district stood at 1,106,717, with 1,983 primary girls and boys schools.

In 2006-07, at least 284,000 primary students were enrolled in the schools. However, 319 out of 1983 primary girls and boys schools remain closed due to different reasons.

The worst-affected area was Kachho belt in Johi taluka where 50 per cent of the total schools remain closed.

Due to lack of monitoring, some influential people have even converted the school buildings into Autaqs (guest houses) in remote parts of the district.

Interference of local politicians in transfer and posting was the main reason for the shortage of teachers and closure of schools. Some 900 sanctioned posts of primary teachers are lying vacant, as fresh appointments were not made since 1995.

In May 2004, tests were conducted to fill teachers’ posts in which approximately 19,000 candidates appeared, but results of the tests were not declared.

The EDO Education Dadu, Syed Rasool Bux Shah, told Dawn that when he took over in 2005, 275 primary schools were closed in the district, of which 135 were reopened. He alleged that due to inefficiency of assistant district officers of Dadu and Johi, number of closed schools registered an increase.

Meanwhile, the District Nazim of Dadu, taking serious notice of closure of schools, suspended the Assistant District Education Officer of Dadu, Ghulam Sarwar Babbar and Assistant District Education Officer of Johi, Wahid Bux Bughio, and also constituted a committee under the DCO.Besides, 27 girls primary schools were running through an NGO, Village Shadabad with the financial assistance of BHP oil and gas exploration company and Actionaid in Johi and Dadu talukas, with an enrolment of 2,519 girls and 878 boys.

The President of Village Shadabad, Akbar Lashari, said that eight boys primary schools which were running with the assistance of Actionaid Pakistan since 2001, would be closed in June because of funds shortage. These schools are located in Sawro, Bahlil Shah, Shah Mohammad Jamali, Golo Faqir, Fatoo Brohi, Shafi Mohammad Lund and Jam Babar villages.

However, 30 primary girls and boys schools and three boys high schools and one girls school are running with the educational support reforms of President of Pakistan since 2001.An army team, led by Colonel Omer Khitab, visited 30 primary schools and boys high schools of Johi, Mehar, Khairpur Nathan Shah, and girls high school of Dadu on Friday.

The district officer elementary Dadu, Asghar Leghari, said that new ADEOs were appointed in Dadu and Johi with a target to reopen the closed schools within 15 days.

A local social worker Bakhat Jamal Soomro, said that on an average a teacher was paying Rs1,000 to Rs1,500 to ADEOs to escape duties.

In district Jamshoro, 29 out of a total 882 primary girls and boys schools were closed. The population of this newly-created district is 58,21,745. The enrolment in primary schools is 70,000.

Ten primary girls and boys schools were running at Bhit Jabal area through Thardeep Rural Development Programme with the funding of an oil and gas company ENI since March 2006, where 300 boys and 100 girls are getting education.