LANDI KOTAL/LAKKI MARWAT: Directorate of education in collaboration with National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) observed the International Literacy Day in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber tribal district on Saturday.

Officials of the educations department, NCHD and students of local educational institutions also participated in a walk from Government High School No 2 up to historic Bab-i-Khyber. Participants of the walk were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans highlighting the importance of education.

Speaking on the occasion, director education Hashim Khan Afridi said that about one million children were out of school in the seven tribal districts. He said that his department had in the recent past established a number of alternate learning schools in the militancy-hit regions where efforts were being made to enroll those students who had abandoned schooling due to various reasons.

He said that upgradation of schools was simultaneously done to attract dropout children and provide them basic education which was their constitutional right.

Mr Afridi said that education was a must for both males and females as they could defeat extremism only with imparting education to children.

In Lakki, the elementary and secondary education department with the support of NCHD held a walk in Lakki city to mark the International Day of Literacy.

Lakki Marwat tehsil naib nazim Hafiz Asif Saleem Advocate led the walk which started from Government Primary School No 2, Meenakhel, and culminated at the starting point after passing through Mandar Street. NCHD assistant directors Zahir Khan and Naimatullah, field officers, headmasters, teachers and students participated.

The participants carried banners and placards inscribed with slogans highlighting the importance of education and skill development.

Earlier, speaking at a function in the school, the tehsil naib nazim said that Islam emphasised on getting education as it helped followers understand their duties and responsibilities besides enabling them to lead a comfortable life. He said literate people could play vital role in country’s development.

“The standard of education is degrading while corruption has weakened national institutions,” he maintained, saying focus on improving the standard and quality of education could prove helpful in producing talented manpower to strengthen national institutions.

The nazim called upon the students to get education for the purpose to become good human beings and mould their lives according to injunctions of Almighty.

The tehsil naib nazim promised funds for repair and renovation of the historical building of primary school.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2018