GHALANAI: Most of the students in Ambar tehsil of Mohmand Agency say goodbye to education after passing middle school examinations as there is no high school in the area.

Ambar tehsil is a backward area of Lower Mohmand sub-division that shares border with Bajaur Agency. The area having low literacy rate lacks health and other basic facilities.

Javed Khan, the assistant agency education officer, said that only middle school for girls in Kota Taraf was constructed some six years ago while there was no high school for boys.

He said that buildings of high schools were constructed eight years ago in Khari Darra, Bakhmal Shah and Musa Kor no staff was appointed there owing to which most of the students quit education after passing middle examinations.

“There is only one SET teacher in the middle school for girls in Kota Taraf Ambar while most of teaching staff has been not appointed there. It wastes the precious time of students,” said Mr Khan.

Shah Mehmood, a local resident, said nearest high school was at a distance of about 15 kilometres from Ambar in Danish Kool area of Pandaili tehsil.

He said that some students shifted to Bajaur and Peshawar to continue education while most belonged to poor families and could not afford it. Mr Mehmood said that there was only one teacher for about 250 girl students in the middle school in the area.

“Although the school building is in a better condition yet there is no furniture even for teachers,” he added.

Bach Khan, another local resident, said that they could not get education but they wanted a better future for their children.

“The government should set up a high school in Amabr so that our young generation can get education,” he added. Nisarullah, a student of 8th grade, said that he wanted to continue education but there was no high school in the entire Ambar tehsil.

The residents of the area demanded of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor and political agent of Mohmand to appoint teaching staff at schools in Ambar and initiate development projects in the backward area.

Meanwhile, political administration distributed Ramazan food packages among Levies and Khasadars forces in Ekkaghund on Thursday. Assistant Political Agent Naveed Akbar Khan handed over the food packages to the officials.

The food packages included sugar, soft drinks, dates and basin.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2017