DERA GHAZI KHAN, July 14: The district education department has yet to take over local municipality primary schools despite promulgation of ordinance 2000.

It is learnt that there were 16 primary boys’ schools and 12 girls’ schools under municipality in the district.

The Islamia School was established by British deputy commissioner Louis in 1914. No new primary school could be established here since 1964.

Initially, these schools won their mark through excellent results without English as their medium. However, mushrooming private institutes affected the performance of these schools.

When contacted, the EDO (education) said the department had not taken over these schools as the municipality had an incomplete record of its employees. He said they did not even have the record of employees’ pensions.

Earlier, 164 teachers, including 63 females, had been associated with these schools. Now there are 58 male and 12 female teachers.

It is learnt that only five schools have their own buildings while the rest have been running in rented buildings. Most of these institutes are without furniture and other facilities.

The retired teachers of these schools have been wandering for their pensions and other benefits in the absence of proper record. However, the municipality has been giving them their pensions in instalments.