ABBOTTABAD: The authorities have failed to reconstruct the Government Primary School for Boys in a major locality of Abbottabad even 13 years after it was damaged by a strong earthquake forcing around 600 students to attend classes under the open sky in the harsh winter.

The school stands in the Kehal union council, where native area of local MPA and Speaker of the provincial assembly Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani.

Officials told Dawn that the government had allocated around Rs7.56 million for the school’s reconstruction in 2010 but didn’t release any funds thereafter.

Unavailability of funds forces 600 students to attend classes in the open

They said shortly after the funds were released, the contractor pulled down the old structure, laid the new building’s foundation and floors and put up pillars but work came to a halt due to the unavailability of money. The officials said the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority had been tasked with rebuilding the school.

The absence of a proper school building, the teachers began taking classes in the open to the misery of students, especially on sunny and rainy days. The administration doesn’t have a proper place to hold morning assembly, while there is also no toilet and clean water supply. The students fetch water from nearby houses.

The residents criticised the MPA for failing to ensure the school’s reconstruction since 2005 and said Mushtaq Ghani had held two key ministries in the last PTI government but failed to arrange funds for the project.

Sohail Khan, whose two sons are enrolled in the school, said the locals were ‘forced’ by teachers to send children to the school under the enrolment policy.

He complained that 105-110 children were enrolled in every class but they didn’t have classrooms, furniture, water supply and other facilities.

The resident said the ruling PTI claimed to be committed to furthering the cause of education in the province but ironically, it had failed to provide funds for the school’s reconstruction.

He said the students aged around 13 and 14 years often suffered from flu and other health problems.

Another resident complained that schools didn’t have proper furniture and even jute mats were not there for students.

He demanded of Prime Minister Imran Khan to intervene to ensure the early completion of work to the relief of students.

An official claimed that the district education officer and other relevant officials had repeatedly requested the relevant authorities for the release of funds for school, but to no avail.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2018