THIS is apropos of the letter ‘More schools needed’ (April 20) by A. Waheed Malik. The letter says that education is important and the government should build as many schools as possible keeping in view the population of the country.

But it is irrelevant because there is no dearth of both government and private schools in the country. However, the unfortunate fact is that there is less attention and focus of the government on the already existing government schools across the country.

There are huge numbers of government schools in our country, out of which more than 30,000 are ghost schools. The teachers only draw their salaries while the schools have been turned into stables. This is what our teachers are doing when education is the constitutional right of every child. Pakistan does not need any extra finance for education but for the proper monitoring, check and supervision of teachers’ performance and the proper assessment by the district inspector of students studying in government schools.

One such terrible example is that of the Government Primary School (located in the Khadizai village) that is just 15km from the Kohat district on the Kohat-Hungu Road.

The school has been lying vacant and no student has been admitted there since January 2013 due to the negligence of teachers to teach children. More than seven teachers have been appointed there who draw salaries in excess of Rs30,000 as compared to the teachers of a private school, each of whom only gets Rs8,000.

It is the only primary school for 3,000 children of the Khadizai village which is spread over an area of three Kanals. However, due to the apathy of the government, it has turned into yet another ghost school, having no students at all.

Kohat district education officers are requested to take immediate action to restore the school to its previous condition and provide succour to children who are thirsting for education.

TARIQ HUSAIN Kohat