THATTA, Oct 7 More than 350 primary and secondary schools out of the total 3,400 in the district are not functioning since last many years, causing academic loss to students residing in nine talukas.

The PPP MPA, Humaira Alwani told this to journalists after visiting a number of schools, particularly in far-flung coastal belt along with a team of civil society members.

Criticising the declining graph of education and deteriorating standard of public schools, she said that according to the EDO, majority of teachers were reluctant to going to schools in far-flung areas and many working on 'visas' (a term used for greasing the palms of officials by teachers to remain absent from the duty but draw their salaries, regularly).

Female literacy rate was mere seven per cent in the district as they were the worst sufferers, said Humaira Alwani and added that 1500 buildings were permanent threat to the lives of students for being in dangerous condition while situation in five degree colleges was no different. She said that some 1,800 students of the Government Degree Boys College Thatta take their classes in a small auditorium as the college building was razed for erecting a new structure many months ago.

Though the total strength of lecturers here was 47 but only 12 take their classes regularly while there were no teachers for physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology and arts in this college, she said.

The Government Degree College Ghorabari was gifted by Benazir Bhutto in 1998 and it would have helped in educating the youths of four coastal talukas which include taluka Ghorabari, Keti Bandar and Mirpur Sakro. The college was handed over to the Education Department in 2000 and because of the non-approval of the SNE, it could not be made functional and the entire building was burglarised during these nine years. The robbers took away with them everything, including doors, windows and other accessories.

The MPA called upon the Sindh Chief Minister and Education Minister to take concrete measure for streamlining the education in this district.