KHAR: A government girls primary school in Utmankhel tehsil of Bajaur Agency has been closed since late last month after a teacher stopped coming to it, complaining she was allegedly misbehaved by a local.

Local residents and sources in the education department told Dawn on Saturday the government girls primary school, Haiyati, had been shut for past one week due to absence of teacher.

The people said there had been no teacher in the school since Oct 28, adding closure of school had deprived their children of education facility. They said the students had been returning from the school without attending classes for last one week.

They criticised the local administration and education department for not taking action against the derelict teacher despite being informed about the matter.

Misbahuddin Khan, senior vice-president of Fata Students Organisation, who also belongs to the area, told Dawn on contact that earlier there were two teachers in the primary school. However, he pointed out that the school had now only one teacher as the other had been absent from duty for several years and was drawing salary at home. He revealed that the remaining teacher had also left the school in protest against the alleged misbehaviour by an influential person on Oct 28.

Sources in local education department said the school having the strength of 300 students was shut on Oct 28 after the teacher stopped coming to it as she alleged she was misbehaved by a local.

The sources quoting the teacher said she would not come to school unless the local administration took action against the local.

Zafarullah Khan, an official at the agency education office in Khar, said they had no information about the closure of school in the area.

However, he said if the school was closed they would ensure it got reopened as soon as possible.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2017