NAWABSHAH, April 10: The elected representatives of local bodies have charged that National Commission on Human Development (NCHD) have not followed the agreed criteria in reopening closed schools and making appointments of feeder teachers in the district.

The NCHD had with the help of district education department conducted a survey on closed schools and set the criteria that a closed school at least 1.5 kilometre away from an opened school having strength of 15-20 students would be reopened and feeder teachers from the union council would be appointed for Rs1500 a month.

Following the survey the NCHD reopened a total of 158 schools, 14 in Nawabshah, 48 in Daulatpur, 64 in Daur and 32 in Sakrand and appointed 131 feeder teachers.

Chairman of the district education committee and nazim of union council Gupchani Abdul Rasool Brohi termed the survey improper and said it had been carried out without involving UC nazims in the process.

He said that there were many schools that could be reopened as per criteria but they were left out and the appointments, which were supposed to be made UC-wise, were not made on merit. The NCHD bypassed its own criteria in appointments, he said.

He said that the NCHD prepared lists of feeder teachers at taluka headquarters without informing him or any other concerned person.

Chairman district accounts committee Syed Munir Shah said that no criteria was followed in selection of schools and appointments, which were made to appease influential people.

He said that an NCHD field officer Ghulam Rasool Sanjrani conducted the survey in a fair manner but his report was bypassed by high-ups and non-feasible schools were also put on the list.

UC Thatt Nazim Mohammad Hanif Chandio said that a number of schools in his UC, which the NCHD had listed as opened, were still closed.

When contacted, district programme manager of NCHD Mujeeb Khatri aid that the list was prepared in the presence of ADOs of education of all the talukas and appointments were made under the supervisors of education department in a transparent manner.