PESHAWAR, Aug 28: NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah has said that apart from routine development programmes under implementation for socio-economic development of tribal area people, a special foreign-funded project of $2.5 million was also in the process for promotion of education in the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas.
Talking to a Unicef delegation comprising Omar Ahmed Abdi, Mr Osama Makkawi and Ms Rafah Aziz, who called on him at Governor’s House on Thursday, the governor said that apart from this about 300 community schools were also being established for the promotion of primary education through a similar project in the tribal areas.
“As far as the government is concerned we are focussing upon strengthening the higher education facilities and that is in line with our polices. The existing 10 degree colleges situated across Fata would be increased to 30 by the end of current financial year.”
In reply to a point raised on this occasion, the governor said: “In fact it is now a question of resources as both the demand from the people to have more and more educational institutions and the will of the government to materialize it at the earliest is very much there.”
However, the governor admitted that though the things were moving in the right direction, keeping in view the vast gap prevailed since long in this connection would definitely take time to be bridged.
POLIO ERADICATION: The governor also spoke at a workshop in connection with polio eradication.
Speaking on the occasion, the governor urged Ulema and tribal elders to significantly contribute to efforts aimed at promoting awareness about polio eradication among the tribal people and foil designs of vested interests who, he said, were trying to misguide the people intentionally.
The governor said that those people who were creating doubts in the minds of the people about polio eradication campaign were in fact the enemy of humanity.
The workshop for social mobilization for polio eradication was jointly arranged by Fata Health Department and Unicef and it was participated in by Ulema, tribal elders, parliamentarians, notables and representatives of Unicef.
The governor described polio not only a dangerous disease but also a source of life-long concern for parents and permanent physical disability of their children. This disease, he said, could only be controlled through precautionary measures by administering polio drops to children under the age of five.
He said: “We must coordinate our efforts in this connection both at the government and people levels to achieve the target of a polio-free society.”
The governor said that certain people due to their ignorance were reluctant to get their children immunized by administering drops.
“We must educate such people and persuade them to adopt precautionary ways, which are not only in their own interest but also in the interest of entire community,” the governor said.