MINGORA, Nov 30: Teachers of non-formal schools have been facing financial hardship as they have not been paid salaries for the last five months. They have urged the governor and the education minister to take notice of their plight.

A statement issued here on Friday, jointly by the offices of the  Swat Youth Front and the Community Development Council, said that about 161 schools were functioning in Swat’s rural areas. Women teachers had opened schools at their houses and been providing basic education to students, it added.

It  was feared that if salaries were not paid to the teachers the schools would have to be closed down, the statement concluded.

PHONE EXCHANGE: The inhabitants of Besham have expressed disappointment over the non-commissioning of a digital telephone exchange in the area and termed it a stepmotherly treatment with them by the Pakistan Telecommunication Company (PTCL).

The subscribers, in a joint letter to newspapers have said that a digital machinery had been installed some two weeks ago in order to replace the existing EMD system, but the PTCL is using delaying tactics in commissioning a digital telephone exchange, they added.  

They further said many people from Besham were working in   foreign countries and they could hardly be contacted in case of emergency as the limited lines were always found busy.