GHALANAI: A boys primary school in Burkhan Khel area of Mohmand tribal region has been without electricity and other basic facilities for more than 15 years.

The two-room school was built in 2001 in Aqrab Daag area and currently there are 250 students enrolled, but the building is not enough to accommodate so many children.

The students are facing numerous problems owing to absence of bathrooms and electricity in the school. The school also has no playground.

The students have to sit on worn out mats in classrooms as the education department has not provided desks and chairs to the school. The students are forced to consume contaminated water because the school has no running water facility.

Naseer Khan, a grade-V student, said they had to drink water from buckets, which were kept in the open.

Abdullah, a grade-IV student, complained about lack of playground in the school.

Arif Khan, a class-V student, said pupils were compelled to drink hot water from buckets, which caused health problems.

Sources said that the school administration had sent countless reminders and requests to the education department to resolve the problems, but to no avail.

The teachers said that no repair work had been carried out in the school since it was built.

“There is no water tank that creates problems for students,” said a teacher, adding chairs and tables were not even available for the staff.

He said due to non-availability of electricity students sat under the shadows of trees during summer days. He also complained about lack of blackboards.

Muqeem Shah, a local resident, said there was only one girls and one boys primary school in the area, while many students had to quit education after passing the primary level.

The agency education officer said a letter had been sent to the political administration and Fata education director for reconstruction of the school with all the required facilities, but a response was still awaited.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2018