KARACHI, Sept 25: Expressing concern over the closure of a large number of schools located in coastal villages, speakers at a seminar demanded that the government must fulfill its basic responsibility and take up the issue on priority basis.

The seminar, State of education in coastal villages, was organized by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum at a government school in Hawkesbay. Keamari EDO Ghulam Shabbir Mallah, UC nazim Gabopat Mubarak Singo, Fatah Marri of Actionaid and PFF chairman Mohammad Ali Shah spoke.

Presenting a paper on the educational infrastructure in coastal villages, Karachi PFF General-Secretary Khuda Gunj said that there were only 84 primary and secondary schools for half a million inhabitants of 400 villages along the Karachi coast. Seventy-five per cent of these schools were lying closed, he said, adding that of the total 30,000 children population only 1,300 were acquiring education.

Accusing the government of partisanship, PFF chairman Mohammad Ali Shah said it was spending money on selected areas while depriving the old inhabitants of Karachi of basic facilities. He condemned the official apathy and vowed to launch a struggle for the education right of fishing communities.

Keamari EDO Ghulam Shabbir Mallah said though he had been recently appointed he would take all measures within his means to open schools and provide them with necessary facilities.