DADU, Jan 29: At least 187 primary schools are lying closed in the seven talukas of the Dadu district because of the apathy of the district administration and the local officials of the education department.

According to a survey conducted by this correspondent, hundreds of teachers were receiving salaries without even attending their respective schools by paying a regular monthly bribe to their local supervisors and education department’s SDOs.

The non-functioning primary schools are located in the following union councils: A. B. Shoro, Arab Khan, Toung, Sari, Mole, Jamshoro, Sann, Amri, Thana Bula Khan, Bubak, Bhan, Channa, Chhinni, Kamal Khan, Phulji village, Bahawalpur, Sarri, Mangwani, Gozo, Khanpur, Makhdoom Bilawal, and other areas of the Katcho belt of the district.

It was also learnt that the officials of the education department had made no surprise visits in these schools for a very long time.

The children, belonging to local affluent families were unaffected as they were getting better education from schools in other districts, while children of the poor families were the worst sufferers because of the closure of the schools in the district.

A representative of a local NGO working in the Kutcho area, said that the NGOs could reactivate most of the schools if the government handed them over.

When contacted, the DCO, Dadu, Allah Dito Shar, blamed the EDO (education) of adopting wrong policies besides accusing him of corruption, adding that the wrong policies had caused the education system to collapse in the district.

The district Nazim, Malik Asad Sikandar, when contacted by this correspondent, said that he had directed the DCO and EDO (education) to re-open all of the schools lying closed.

But, he said, the EDO (education) was doing nothing to revive the schools.

He accused the EDO (education) of having appointed some 300 teachers illegally during the ban on appointments.

He also accused the EDO of embezzling the SMC funds.

He said that he had appointed an inquiry committee to investigate the matter.