KHAR: Residents of Utmankhel tehsil of Bajaur Agency on Thursday expressed serious concern over closure of the lone government girls’ primary school in the area for the past over two weeks and announced to start agitation if it was not reopened till Monday.

They made the announcement during a meeting held at Haiyati area which was attended by a large number of elders, youths and social activists.

The participants said that the school where about 300 girls were enrolled had been closed since October 28 due to absence of teachers. They said that there were two teachers in the school, but both had left the school several weeks ago for unknown reasons.

The residents flayed the political administration and education department for not taking steps to reopen the school. They said that senior officials were aware of the school’s closure. It was decided in the meeting that the area residents would hold a protest demonstration if the school was not made functional by Monday.

When contacted, an official of the education department confirmed that the government girls’ primary school in Utmankhel area had been closed since Oct 28 due to absence of teachers. He said that the lone teacher had left the school in protest against the alleged misbehaviour of an influential person.

He said that a delegation of senior officials had met with the protesting teacher to resume duty, but she refused to end her protest until action was taken against the person who had misbehaved with her.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2017