SWABI, Aug 13: The representatives of teachers and parents of students have demanded of the provincial government to reconstruct the educational institutions, destroyed in the district by militants during the last two years.

They said that the provision of facilities was the responsibility of the government, however, some educational institutions in the district lacked basic amenities.

All Teachers Association (ATA) district president Abdul Latif told Dawn that all public sector schools were closed owing to summer vacations and it was a golden opportunity to reconstruct the destroyed institutions but it seemed that the chance was lost.

Sources in the education department said that more than 30 educational institutions including primary, middle and high schools in the district had been blown up militants.

“Both public and private sector schools and colleges have been targeted but the number of destroyed primary schools was the highest,” said Mr Latif, who was flanked by other leaders of ATA.

“No doubt Swabi is considered one of the peaceful districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but the recent incidents of terrorism have made clear that it has been destabilised to great extent,” the teachers said. They cited several incidents of terrorism occurred in the recent past.

However, police officials claimed that people of Swabi were educated and they could not be lured by militant outfits.

The teachers said that bombing and targeting of educational institutions could not stop local people from getting education.

“If a school is destroyed we will sit under the shadows of trees. The caravan of education can’t be stopped by such cruel tactics. We are determined to continue our efforts at all costs and no can stop the much needed process of knowledge,” said a primary school teacher.

Police and education department evolved a joint strategy to protect schools in the district, said sources, adding that earlier there was no watchman in about 600 primary schools in Sawbi in the past.

“Now, each peon has been told that he would be responsible for any untoward incident in his school,” they added. They now perform duty round the clock and remain in the school at night.

Police parties inspect schools and if any peon is found absent the matter is reported to district police officer, talks to district education officer for a swept action. “This strategy has worked and in the last few months no such incident has occurred,” said an official.

PTI district vice president Rangaiz Khan said that their government had planned to introduce several fruitful reforms in the education sector. “Education is top priority of PTI government,” he added.