KOHAT: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said on Friday that schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been facing a shortage of 25,000 teachers and announced that the government would appoint 10,000 teachers this year through NTS test under the new education policy.

Mr Khattak was addressing a public meeting here at Shakardarra where he had gone on the invitation of provincial law minister Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi. Information minister Mushtaq Ghani, adviser on sports Amjid Afridi, MPAs Ziaullah Bangash and Gul Sahib Khan and tehsil nazim Ishfaq Qureshi accompanied him during the visit.

The chief minister announced that in the coming 10 years the students of government schools would be able to compete with those studying at private schools after introduction of English subject from grade one. He said that board examinations were being introduced for the class 5th and 6th students to gauge the ability and performance of the teachers.

He said that the building structure of all primary schools was being changed from two classrooms, two teachers to six rooms, six teachers. He approved the construction of Tarli bridge for Shakardarra at a cost of Rs250 million, a degree college, two each high, middle, primary schools, and one higher secondary school besides other schemes like establishment of Rescue 1122 service and construction of Shakardarra- Karappa road.

Khattak announces projects for Shakardarra town

He also ordered feasibility study for provision of water to Shakardarra town from the Indus River with a cost of Rs7 million. He promised to take up the issue of Shakardarra grid station with the department concerned.

FAKE CURRENCY DEALER HELD: The Khasadar force of Frontier Region of Kohat arrested a tribesman for selling fake currency notes in Darra Adamkhel on Friday.

Assistant political agent Ali Asghar said in a statement that following a tip-off that an inter-provincial gang was involved in smuggling and selling of fake currency in Darra bazaar the Khasadar force set a trap for the alleged currency dealer and struck a deal with him on phone. He said that as soon as the dealer – identified as Zardad Khan, a resident of Shpalakaiwal, Darra Adamkhel – brought the fake currency notes of different denominations of about Rs500,000 for delivery he was arrested by the Khasadar personnel.

The accused was shifted to the lockup of political administration in Kohat for interrogation and his car was also impounded. During investigations, the accused revealed that they had been selling Rs100,000 fake notes for Rs25,000.

OPIUM SEIZED: The police seized 15 kilogrammes of opium at a checkpost in Sherkot area on Hangu-Kohat road and arrested an alleged smuggler on Friday.

The police stopped a coaster coming from Sadda, Kurram Agency, in Sherkot and during checking they found a bag containing 15 kilogrammes of fine quality opium and arrested its alleged carrier, identified as Mohammad Tariq.

They said that the consignment was being taken to Rawalpindi. The Ustarzai police have registered a case against the accused.

Published in Dawn, October 10th , 2015

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