CHINIOT: Up to 10 per cent increase in public schools’ enrollment has created classroom shortage in Chiniot district.

There are 659 schools in all in the categories of primary, elementary, secondary and higher secondary schools in Chiniot district.

The Punjab government has announced incentives such as free textbooks, free education and stipend to girls students from class 6 to 10 to attract them to schools.

In May 2016, there were 162,645 students enrolled in public schools from nursery to grade 12, of which 92,330 were boys and 70,315 girls.

In May 2017, just before the summer vacations, the enrollment in these schools rose to 178,760 with an increase of 16,115 students. Of them, 101,723 or 56% are boys and 77,037 or 44% girls.

Nyla Huma, in charge headmistress of the Government Madrassatul Binat High School, told Dawn the enrollment of school had risen to 2,410 students and now 80 to 100 students were in each class.

She added that she had written to the authorities for new classrooms. Similarly, the Government Girls’ High School, Satellite Town, had only 13 functional classrooms for 1,030 students, so several of the students would either sit in the open or in the corridors.

District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer Liaqat Ali Nasir told Dawn the authority was aware of the shortage of classrooms in schools and for that they had written to the government for more rooms.

The chief minister’s programme for additional classrooms will be implemented in the future and will bridge the gaps. The schools were also allowed to construct makeshift sheds with their non-salary budget funds to accommodate additional students.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2017