LOWER DIR: The district education department has dismissed six teachers from service over prolonged and unexplained absence from duty.

According to an official notification issued by the district education officer (DEO), Mohammad Ilyas Khan, the action was taken after repeated notices failed to elicit satisfactory responses from truant teachers despite publication of final absence notices in national dailies.

It stated that the teachers, belonging to different cadres, remained absent from their respective schools without informing authorities concerned. They were directed through several show-cause notices to resume duty, but they neither complied nor provided any reasonable explanation, it added.

The dismissed employees of education department included four certified teachers (CTs), one CT-IT teacher and one primary schoolteacher (PST). They were identified as Shakirullah of GHSS Sarai Bala (absent since 2-3-3026), Mohsin Khan of Government High School Shawa, Yaqoob Khan of GHS Hajiabad, Rafiullah of GHSS Shalkandi Munda, Mehtab Khan of Government Centennial Model High School Timergara and Imranullah of Government Primary School Asigai Kallay.

The DEO said that the teachers were dismissed after completion of all legal and departmental formalities.

EXAM: The annual examinations of intermediate under Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Malakand will begin on May 6. A total of 73,467 candidates will appear in the examinations.

According to BISE Malakand chairman Kalimullah, arrangements for smooth conduct of the examinations have been finalised and special measures have been taken to ensure transparency and merit.

Officials said 44,916 male and 28,551 female students would appear in the examinations, for which, 259 examination centres were established, including 169 for boys and 90 for girls. They said that examinations would be conducted under a cluster system and examination staff would be rotated to ensure transparency and discourage unfair practices.

Officials said that roll number slips were issued to all candidates and preparations for the examinations had been completed.

To strengthen monitoring and ensure transparency, installation of CCTV cameras has been made mandatory at all examination centres. A central control room has also been established at the board office to monitor the examination process.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2026