MINGORA, Dec 30: The government girls primary school Bowrai in Swat valley is without roof for last six months and its students have been taking classes under open sky.

The roof of the two-room school, made of corrugated sheets, was uprooted by strong winds in June 2012, but the education department was yet to make any arrangements for its construction. Fifty two students, including 25 girls, were enrolled in the school located in union council Ghaligi, Barikot tehsil.

The two female teachers of the school have to reach for duty after covering a long distance on foot in the hilly area, while in their absence two volunteer girls teach the students.

The school remains shut during rain and snowfall, as rainwater and snow accumulated in the roofless rooms of the school.

Hassan Khan, a local resident, told Dawn that the school was without furniture and even mats were not available to the students. He said that the residents had made frequent requests to political leaders and government functionaries to rebuild the school, but there was no response.

He said majority of children in the locality could not be enrolled owing to lack of education facilities.

Talking to this scribe, Reshma, a 4th grade student, urged the education department officials to rebuild the school so they could get education smoothly.

Ms Naila and Ms Asia, the two teachers of the school, told this correspondent that they covered five kilometres distance on foot daily to reach the school in the hilly area for last three years. They said they felt insecure and appealed to the education department to transfer them to nearby station and appoint the PTC teachers from the same locality.

When contacted, EDO education Gul Zaman Khan said that the matter was not in his notice. He said that tents would be provided to the school on urgent basis and steps would be taken to reconstruct its roof.