UMERKOT, May 18: Strict disciplinary action was recommended for six ghost schools and six teachers found absent during an inspection visit of the assistant district education officer on Saturday who visited 20 schools in Umerkot taluka.

The visits were made under the orders of the Supreme Court which had ordered local judicial authorities across the province to visit schools and prepare a report about their condition.

Speaking at a press conference at his office, assistant district education officer Muhammad Qasim Kunbhar said that he and a team of supervisors had visited 20 schools in Umerkot taluka and had found six government primary schools closed. At other schools six teachers were also found absent.

The ghost schools included government primary schools in Sadiq Mangrio, Ali Khan Unar, Ali Muhammad Arisar, Waleh Dino Nohri and Sahib Dino Mangrio, he said, while six teachers, identified as Muhammad Hanif Patoo, Asghar Ali Rajar, Muhammad Iqbal Unar, Fayaz Ali Unar, Mohammad Suleman Nohri and Suleman Soomro were found absent. He said that he had recommended strict disciplinary action against these teachers.

He said that a monitoring mechanism had been devised as a result of complaints filed with the honourable district and sessions judge and human rights board in Umerkot.