PESHAWAR: Teachers from tribal districts on Wednesday demanded the early rehabilitation of government schools and colleges in the region.

Addressing a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club, Khyber district teachers’ interim committee president Gulab Din Afridi said the government should ensure the provision of quality education to the people of tribal district to help them feel the real difference in their life post Fata-KP merger.

Accompanied by teacher leaders Jangriz Khan, Mohammad Asghar and Saifullah, he said certain elements from the education department were hampering the implementation of Fata reforms but the teaching community from tribal districts wouldn’t allow them to succeed.

Mr Afridi said 60 per cent of the educational institutions in tribal districts had suffered due to the war against terrorism but the successive governments didn’t take concrete steps for their rehabilitation. He said most children and youths in the region were out of school due to lack of facilities.

The teacher leader said the Fata-KP merger was a ray of hope for the poor people for their development and therefore, the reforms proposed through it should be introduce in letter and spirit.

He appreciated the government’s decision to merge the education directorate with the education department and suggested that the teachers of tribal districts be provided with all incentives including promotion like those from other districts.

“Some people demand five years delay in that merger as they don’t understand its benefits,” he said.

Mr Afridi said buildings of most girls schools in tribal districts needed repairs, water supply, boundary walls and washrooms and therefore, people didn’t send daughters to schools.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2019