Some parents are hesitant about sending their daughters to the tent schools unless proper security arrangements are made. photo by (News Alart)
PESHAWAR: The government has announced to open educational institutes in Swat on Saturday, but officials expect low attendance in the first few days.
A school headmaster said his family was in Nowshera and he would wait for the situation to further improve before shifting them back to Swat. However, he added, he himself would resume his duty in Swat.
The teachers, he said, had to follow government policies and were supposed to be present in
their respective schools irrespective of the security situation.
He said teachers had reported to high-ups concerned in Migora, but they would be unable to move to the hilly areas unless these were fully cleared of militants.
A source in the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Swat, said 5,000 students had migrated from Swat to institutes in other cities.
He appreciated the government’s announcement to open the schools; however, he said 100 per cent attendance of students would take time. He said some private schools had already been opened in the areas where the law and order situation had improved.
He said girls’ schools could not be opened in Kabal and Matta areas because a majority of the teachers belonged to Mingora or other lower parts of Swat and they would not be able to move to the hilly areas in the uncertain situation.
However, Executive District Officer (planning and development) Fazal Ahad, who is also focal person for arrangements on emergency basis, told Dawn that preparations for opening the schools on Saturday had been finalised.
He said 226,117 students were enrolled in government schools of Swat, hoping that they would show their attendance on the first day.
He said teachers would not be allowed leaves, adding they were bound to complete the course of the academic session.
About the destroyed schools, he said 238 schools, including 162 for girls, had been destroyed.
The EDO said the education department had demanded 1,700 tents as a temporary arrangement for schools. At present, he added, 100 tents had been provided by security forces and 170 by the district administration.
The EDO said the education department had demanded 1,700 tents as a temporary arrangement for schools. At present, he added, 100 tents had been provided by security forces and 170 by the district administration.
The tents, he said, had been erected in the areas of Banr, Qambar, Odigram, Ahingaro Dherai, Fazalabad and Aligrama and work was in progress, but curfew was a hurdle in the process.
The area of Madyan, Kalam, he said, was comparatively safe and some schools had been opened there.
The area of Madyan, Kalam, he said, was comparatively safe and some schools had been opened there.
Some parents said they would not send their daughters to the tent schools unless proper security arrangements were made. They stressed the need that the education department should hire buildings at least for girls’ schools and appoint security guards.
Swat Peace Committee chairman Inamur Rehman said efforts were being made to get relaxation in the curfew in certain troubled areas and open the schools there.
He said teachers had not reached Kanju, Derai, Bandai and Nengwalai areas and because of the curfew there was no chance of opening the schools.
A local journalist, Ghafoor Khan Adil, also complained of prolonged curfews and suggested that it should be relaxed if the government wanted to open all the schools.
He also called for providing food items and medicines in the areas of Kanju, Bandai, Kabal and Matta.
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