KHAR: The students of Arang area of Bajaur Agency on Saturday staged a protest demonstration against the shortage of teachers and absence of basic facilities in their school.

Chanting slogans against the local education department and management of their school, the students of Government High School, Arang in Utmankhel tehsil marched on the Arang-Khar road, blocking it for several hours to vehicular traffic.

The protesters mentioned that the school, which was the only high school in the entire tehsil, had been without staff and basic facilities since along. They said large number of students depended on the school, but they were facing difficulties owing to lack of teaching staff and facilities.

The students said the school had been running without chemistry, physics, mathematics and other teachers. The protesting students also expressed concern over absence of computers in the school. They pointed out that the students of class 9th and 10th had yet to see computer system in the school despite funds had been released months ago. They said computer science was a compulsory subject for students of class 9th and 10th.

The protesters also complained about absence of furniture in the school and said unavailability of chairs and desks forced them to sit on the ground.

The students accused the school management of making them to clean the school. There are a number of regular sweepers in our school, but cleaning duty of rooms, offices and other sites has been assigned to students, they added.

The students said they had brought the matter into the notice of senior officials of education department through elders and their parents several times, but to no avail. They threatened to come on roads again if the education department and political administration didn’t take immediate steps to provide basic amenities to school.

The students ended the protest after officials of local administration assured them to address their demands.

ELDERS PLEDGE SUPPORT: Tribal elders of Bajaur on Saturday pledged their resolve to stand by the security forces in foiling any foreign aggression on the country.

Speaking to officials of security forces during a function in Khar, the elders of various areas said the tribal people were the most loyal citizens and would remain so in protecting the country from any foreign aggression.

The function was held in connection with promotion of security officials at Bajaur Scouts headquarters. Bajaur Scouts Commandant Colonel Nayyar Zaman was also present.

The elders said the people of entire tribal areas would continue supporting the security forces in the fight against anti-state elements.

On the occasion, Colonel Nayyar Zaman praised the tribal elders for supporting the security forces in defeating militants and restoring peace in the agency.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2016