UPPER DIR: The residents of Gandigar village on Monday staged protest against the proposed shifting of a higher secondary school for girls from the area.

The protesters gathered outside the office of district education officer and demanded of the education department and district administration to stop shifting of the school.

Holding placards, they also chanted slogans against shifting of the school to another building, situated at a distance from the main town. Tehsil councillor from Darora union council Mian Saifullah, Mian Izaz Ali Shah, Qari, and others addressed the protesters.

They said that education department constructed a new building in Qala and they were told that it was meant for intermediate classes. “Now, after completion of the building, the department is saying that the entire school will be shifted there,” they added.

The speakers said that it was unfair because the new building was situated three to four kilometres away from Gandigar village. They said that it would difficult for girl students to cover such a long distance.

They said that they would never allow shifting of the school from Gandigar to the new building, which was built for housing a collage for girls.

The protesters said that education department should start intermediate classes in the new building and they would not oppose it. However, they said that shifting of the whole school to another place was not accepted to them. They added that they would allow shifting of the school from the area.

The protesters dispersed peacefully after Assistant Commissioner Abdul Wali Khan held talks with them and persuaded them to end the protest.

Mr Khan said that he had directed, on behalf of Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Irfanullah Mehsud, the DEO female to form a committee on the issue and submit a report in that regard.

He said that till submission of the report by the committee, the school would be run in the present building.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2018