LAKKI MARWAT: The Lucky Cement Limited on Wednesday distributed free books among students of a government school near Darra Pezu town here.

LCL Pezu unit officials, elders, educationists and teachers attended the ceremony held in connection with the World Literacy Day. LCL chief operating officer Amin Gani distributed curriculum and literature books among the poor and underprivileged students of government higher secondary school, Yarak.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that books were also given to the schools in Nooriabad locality of Karachi. He said that Lucky Cement was committed to promoting education and enhancing literacy rate in the backward areas, including Lakki Marwat.

“The World Literacy Day held globally by Unesco is aimed to highlight the importance of education to individuals, communities and societies,” he maintained. Mr Amin said that Lucky Cement would actively pursue the goal to improve educational facilities in local communities.

He added that the LCL was also pursuing several education projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including establishment of lucky city school, endowments for Gomal University in DI Khan and numerous scholarship programmes.

TEACHERS DEMANDED: The leaders of Tehreek Tahaffuz Haqooq-i-Marwat have asked the provincial government to provide science teachers to the only girls’ college of Lakki town.

Talking to Dawn on Wednesday, former nazim Johar Mohammad and Professor R Haji Zarwali Khan said that the strength of students in government girls’ degree college was about 600, but there was dearth of science teachers in the institution.

They said that the students, who took science subjects, were facing problems while some of them had quit their studies. “The shortage of science teachers negates the government's claim of educating women folk,” said Mr Johar.

The former nazim said that female students were interested in taking up science subjects but they couldn’t materialise their dream due to shortage of teaching staff.

They asked the provincial minister for higher education to provide at least six teachers to the college on priority basis so that the science classes didn’t suffer further.

Published in Dawn, September 11th , 2014