KHAR: Speakers at a conference expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the government-run educational institutions in Bajaur Agency and called for tangible steps to ensure quality education to students.

The conference ‘people’s role in promoting education in Bajaur’ was organised by All Bajaur Private Schools Association at a private school in Umary Mamond the other day.

Political and religious activists, representatives of trade unions, civil society members, teachers, students and educationists attended the event.

The speakers claimed the reputation of government educational institutions across the agency was fast declining due to incompetent teachers and absence of check and balance from the authorities.

The participants noted that people preferred private schools for their children as they were not satisfied with the government schools.

The speakers mentioned that a large number of students of government schools had been shifted to private schools in various areas since the start of new academic season.

Specifying the causes for the poor performance of government educators in the agency, the participants noted that mostly teachers were either incompetent or insincere with their job, which resulted in dropouts.

They accused the education department and local administration of not introducing a proper check and balance system over the government schools, saying officials assigned the duty to conduct surprise visits to the schools had failed to improve teachers’ performance or attendance.

The speakers asked the people to contribute towards improving education standard in the agency. It is the basic responsibility of every citizen to point out flaws in the education system and make the government rectify them to improve education standard as it is key to development,” Bahadar Said, All Bajaur Private Schools Association’s president, said.

The participants urged the concerned officials to take action against the teachers whose performance was unsatisfactory and those who had been absenting from duties.

On the occasion, students presented speeches, plays, and songs to underline the significance of education.

MONTHLY ALLOWANCE: Tribal elders have complained about not being paid their allowance for the month of March.

Talking to Dawn on Friday, pro-administration elders of various areas of Bajaur on condition of anonymity said the allowance for the month of March was to be paid to them in mid April. They said they had been visiting the local administration offices since start of April to get the March allowance, but to no avail.

The elders blamed the clerical staff at the political agent’s office for delay in release of the allowance. They said the elders got the allowance in return for cooperation with the political administration in maintaining peace in the agency. They asked the administration to take notice of the delay in payment of the stipend.

When contacted, an official said the allowance for March had been cancelled as funds for the same had been spent on the visit of governor to the agency on April 18. The official, however, said payment of allowance for April would be started on Monday.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2016