BAJAUR: The government primary school for girls in Lowi Kharkai area of Bajaur tribal district has been without staff for the last several years after the lone teacher stopped attending the institution.

The local people said that the school had been without staff for more than three years. They said that the lone state-run school for girls in the area was established about 15 years ago.

They said that since its establishment, the school was run by one teacher. She had also been absent for the last three years, they added.

“The teacher belonging to Takht Bhai area of Mardan has not paid even a single visit to the school for the last three years,” said Shah Faisal Khan, a resident of the area. About 250 students are enrolled in the school.

Malik Mohammad Ayub Khan, the owner of the land on which the school was built, said that the teacher hardly spent a week in the school before she tasked a local woman to teach the students for about Rs6,000 per month as her substitute.

However, he said, the local woman also left her job several months ago when the teacher stopped payment to her. He claimed that he approached education department so many times to inform them about the matter, but to no avail.

CONVENTION: Speakers at a convention here called upon the youth to play their role in the development of the region by promoting positive thinking in the society. The youth convention was organised by Youth of Bajaur, a local organisation, in collaboration with district administration.

Youth of Bajaur chairman Rehanzeb Khan demanded of the government to advertise the vacant posts in different departments in the tribal districts to provide jobs to local youth. He asked the government to launch interest-free loans scheme for the youth of tribal districts.

MNA Gul Zafar Khan, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Fayyaz Khan, District Police Officer Shahzada Kookab Farooq, tribal elder Mian Masood Jan, Maulana Guldad Khan, Maulana Khanzeb, and others addressed the event.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2021