GHALANAI: The residents of Hayati Kor in Pandiali tehsil of Mohmand Agency have complained about lack of basic facilities in the only state-run middle school in the area.

They said that the government middle school in the area was established some 12 years ago. They said that more than 500 students were enrolled in the school but it lacked basic facilities.

The local residents said that students faced hardships owing to shortage of teaching staff and lack of other facilities. “It is the only school in the area, has 3,000 population.

There are no facilities of drinking water, electricity and bathrooms in the school,” said Arshad Khan, a local resident.

He said that the school also lacked boundary wall.

A teacher said that students came from far flung areas on foot owing to non-availability of transport facilities in the area while government had banned bike riding.

The students face numerous problems owing to absence of boundary wall, bathrooms and electricity in the school. There is also no playground for students in the school.

During a visit to the school, it was observed that students were sitting on torn out mats in the classrooms. The authorities have failed to provide desks and chairs to the school.

Ahmad Shah, a grade VII student, said he covered a distance of four kilometres on foot to reach the school. He said that clean drinking water was not available in the school.

Another teacher said that security situation was not satisfactory in the area. He said that security guards of the school performed duty only at daytime.

The local elders and staff of the school said that the school administration had sent countless reminders and requests to the education department to resolve the problems but to no avail.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2016