MINGORA: Parents on Friday presented a charter of demands to the parliamentarians and local government members, seeking their help to solve the problems the education sector is facing in Swat.

The demands were put forth at a dialogue between the District Parent Ittehad (DPI) and parliamentarians organised by Alif Ailan and Sarhad Rural Support Programme. Education department officials and social activists were also in attendance.

The DPI has membership of parents from different walks of life, who have been lobbying at various levels to improve the state of education in the area.

On the occasion, district education campaigner, Akhtar Ali, said the DPI in consultation with various stakeholders had developed a charter of demands, which sought an increase in education budget to build schools, appointment of local teachers to curb absenteeism, standardisation of education system, maintaining a 1-30 teacher-pupils ratio and capacity building of parent-teacher committees.

Akhtar Ali said as per Alif Ailaan’s district education ranking report, 2016, Swat stood at 83rd number at the national level and at 17th at the provincial level.

The panelists, parliamentarians and local bodies members were asked to look into the issues and pledge their support to resolve them.

Presenting the demands, the parents referred to a scheme initiated by the previous government known as Rokhana Pakhtunkhwa, which was stopped by the current government.

They sought resumption of the scheme as it benefited thousands of talented but needy students.

The participants also demanded legislation to bind parents to send their children to school.

Responding to the demand, MNA Musarrat Ahmad Zeb said before legislation the government must provide schools with properly trained teachers and other basic facilities.

Other demands included rehabilitation of earthquake damaged schools, appointment of female science teachers, start of second shifts in areas where schools are in less number, construction of girls primary school in Qalagey village, holding of annual examinations before winter vacations, provision of notebooks and stationary to students, establishment of schools for children with disabilities at tehsil level and hostels for female teachers in remote areas.

Humaira Hussain, project manager Alif Ailan, thanked all the participants for sparing time to discuss educational issues in the area.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2016