June 02, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 27, 1429

VEHARI, June 1: Academic activities at the Divisional Public School have been badly affected owing to non-appointment of the principal for the last six months.

The school staff and parents of the students have voiced concern over the absence of a full-time principal and filed applications to DCO Khurram Agha, requesting him to appoint the principal.

Demanding immediate appointment of an experienced principal for the good of the institution, the applicants have contended that “acting principal Syeda Zaib doen’t qualify for the post”. The number of complaints the authorities are receiving against the deteriorating standard of education are increasing, it is learnt.

According to the concerned parents, the acting principal has made it a habit to force the students to pay various types of funds every month. “A number of students have left the school due to the principal’s attitude. She also binds the parents to purchase the books from some specific shops which, in turn, overcharge the students. Not only this, the principal also asks the students and their wards to join the academies being run by some schoolteachers,” the applicants allege.

Worried about the education of their children, the parents have demanded that the authorities concerned should take stock of the educational chaos and appoint a principal of the DPS.

DCO Khurram Agha told the complainants that he was not in a position to appoint the principal. “A board would appoint the new principal in the near future,” he said.—GULZAR BAIG