KHYBER: Tribesmen from different walks of life here on Sunday demanded provision of the required facilities in schools for promoting girls’ education and literacy rate in Khyber tribal district.

They were speaking during a function organised by Khyber Youth Forum (KYF) here in Mohammad Noor Kallay, which was also attended by officials of the education department, councillors and civil society activists.

KYF social awareness campaigner Maroof Afridi said on the occasion that it was for the first time in the district that such a gathering was organised to discuss promotion of girls’ education.

He said that mobilising the tribal community in support of education was the primary requirement for increasing girls’ enrolment in schools.

“The education department should also increase the female staff and discourage absenteeism among the existing teachers,” he insisted.

He demanded of the education department to increase the number of classrooms in girls’ primary schools from the existing two to at least six to accommodate maximum number of the out-of-school students.

Mr Afridi said that upgradation of the girls’ schools and establishment of more community schools would also help in promotion of education.

He demanded of the education department to make the weekly inspection of schools mandatory to check the attendance of both the teachers and girl students.

Misal Khan, an official of the department, said on the occasion that the government was taking steps to improve the quality of education and increase literacy rate among the tribal girls.

He said the department had already recommended for upgradation of a number of girls’ schools and the process would soon be completed.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2022