VEHARI: The Government Primary School No 1, the oldest institution of Vehari, has been closed down about a week back thanks to the mismanagement of the authorities concerned.

The school had been established in 1957 at E-Block in Vehari. Over 400 students were enrolled with nine-member teaching staff about one year back.

The political interference and mismanagement led to grouping among the teaching staff which has finally resulted in shutting down of the school.

Sources said the Education Department had shifted all the record and students to the Government Elementary School 43/WB while the teaching staff including, Allah Ditta, Shahid, Abid Tufail and Shaukat, and peon Maqsood had been declared surplus.

Residents and parents of students, including Serwer, Khaliq Ali, Habib Ahmed, Zainul Abdin and Waris Jafry, demanded of the Education department to reopen the school and appoint the sincere teaching staff.

Meanwhile, two ghost primary schools at Chaks 210/EB and 174/EB are working under the shelter of the Education department.

Both primary schools are working on papers while teachers come to their duties only three days at the end of every month and call few students from nearby localities.

The staff of the EDO (Education) office was informed about both ghost schools, but no action has so far been taken against the staff concerned.

EDO (Education) Chaudhry Sultan Mehmood said that he was not informed about the situation.

However, District Officer (Education) Mukhtar Chawan admitted that the Government Primary School No 1 was closed down due to the shortage of teaching staff. He said the school record and students were shifted to the Government Middle School at Chak 11/WB while its building was handed over to the Vocation Training Institute for temporary basis.

He denied the presence of any ghost school in the district, but said he would inquire about the two ghost schools.

SHORTAGE OF DOCTORS: Patients of hepatitis B and C have been suffering for the last one week after the only physician of the DHQ Hospital has gone for three-month leave.

Various patients of hepatitis, including Rafique, Akram, Ghafoor and Rabnawaz, said that nobody was taking care of them after the only consultant, Dr Tariq Mehmood, had gone for a long leave.

They alleged that Dr Tariq was running his private hospital at Tariq bin Ziad Colony where poor patients could not afford the treatment.

Medical Superintendent Dr Ashraf admitted that Dr Tariq was on three-month leave, but said he was not authorized to grant long leave.

EDO (Health) Dr Afzal Bashir said he was not informed about the long leave of the physician.

Hospital sources said Dr Tariq was the in-charge of the CM’s Punjab Free Treatment Programme of the hepatitis B and C at the DHQ Hospital.