MIANWALI, Oct 9: The Education Department has closed down 124 ‘ghost schools’ which have been ‘functional’ since long just in official record in the district, according to Education Executive District Officer (EDO) Mushtaq Husain Khan Baloch.

A few years ago, army personnel reported the existence of such ‘ghost’ schools in the district but the Education Department did not take action against the authorities drawing salaries for such ‘non-existence’ schools.

The EDO said he had discovered ‘ghost’ schools in a survey which he himself had conducted. He said such schools had been established on political pressure in rural areas. He said he had transferred the teachers of ‘ghost’ schools to working schools. He said he had closed down 53 Masjid Maktab schools, 60 girls’ primary schools and 11 boys’ primary schools.

ROTI: The district government has set up 52 earthen oven or tandoors where roti will be sold at Rs2 each, District Food Controller Amjad Majeed Gondal says. He said his department was providing subsidised 173 flour bags of 20kg each every day. He asked the public to report him about the shortage of flour supply.