LANDI KOTAL: The posts of headmasters have long been lying vacant at four government high schools of Landi Kotal, while headmasters of five other schools in the Khyber Agency tehsil don’t do duty regularly, says a report compiled by the assistant agency education officer.

In the report, the AAEO urged the Fata Directorate of Education to fill the vacant posts of headmasters at Government High School Loe Shalman, Government High School Badshah Mir Kalay Karamna, Government High School Zeen Tarra and Government High School Durma Kor in Shalman saying standard of education has deteriorated at the government schools in the tehsil due to a lack of the government’s attention.

The report said senior English teachers managed school affairs in absence of headmasters, while members of subordinate staff were found not cooperating with them to the misery of students.

It said headmasters at Government High School Landi Kotal, Government High School Kharghali, Government High School Kam Shalman, Government High School Prang Darra-Loe Shalman and Government High School Tudd Kamar didn’t do duty regularly.

Report says headmasters of five schools not doing duty regularly

The report said the information gathered from students and their parents revealed that headmasters were more interested in doing examination duty and attending refresher courses and training workshops than doing duty in schools.

It said the affairs of Government High School Landi Kotal were run by a junior teacher as the Grade-19 principal had absented himself from school for over six months without informing the relevant officials.

The report said the post of principal at Government High School Mohammad Khan Kalay had been vacant for almost a year, while and SET Fazal Rehman, the acting headmaster, had visited the school once a month.

It added that six SETs were recently transferred from the school and thus causing a serious shortage of teaching staff.

The report said headmasters of Government High School Khar Ghali, Government High School Zeen Tarra and Government High School Kam Shalman were found absent from duty during several visits of the AAEO to the schools.

It said eighth, ninth and 10th graders had stopped going to Government High School Kam Shalman due to unavailability of science, English and mathematics teachers.

According to the report, the Agency Education Office has failed to begin ninth and 10th classes in Government High School Tudd Kamar due to shortage of teachers and absence of headmaster. It recommended the immediate filling of vacancies at schools and strict disciplinary action against absentee teachers and headmasters.

Meanwhile, students of Government Degree College Landi Kotal on Wednesday protested closure of their hostel and absence of facilities on the premises. Also in the day, Fata Leopards beat Fata Eagles to clinch the First All-Fata Baseball Tournament in Jamrud.

Four teams consisting of 54 baseball players from all seven tribal agencies participated in the weeklong tournament at the Government Higher Secondary School. Abdul Ghafoor was declared man of the match, while Mohammad Sadeeq was given the man of the tournament trophy. Fata Olympics Association secretary Shahid Khan Shinwari gave away prizes and trophies to the winning teams.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2014