MARDAN: Residents of Qudrat village and adjacent areas on Wednesday urged the education department to withdraw the decision to relocate a local girls school.

The demand was made during a news conference here at the Mardan Press Club.

Villagers, including Latifur Rehman, Qari Nayaz Ali, Zahid Hussain and Manzoorur Rehman, said the last provincial government led by the Awami National Party had upgraded a local primary school to high school and afterwards, a new building was built for it in a faraway unprotected place without taking local residents into confidence.

They alleged that district education officer (female) Dilshad Begum had ordered the forced shifting of students and teachers to the new building after locking the doors of the old one.

The villagers claimed the matter was sub judice.

They claimed students along with parents were opposed to going to the new school building due to unprotected location.

The villagers said the old school premises had enough space for building more rooms, so putting up a new building was unnecessary.

They said they could offer land free of charge for the construction of more rooms in the old building.

The villagers urged the chief minister, education minister and education department bosses to step in and ensure withdrawal of the decision on the school location.

When contacted, district education officer Dilshad Begum said only high classes were shifted to the new school building.

“Primary section will remain in the old building,” she said. The DEO claimed the villagers were satisfied with the shifting of high classes to the new building.

She also said presence of students in the new building was satisfactory.

Published in Dawn January 15th , 2015

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