Vacant schools serve as cow-sheds

Over 200 schools in the district remain closed because there are no teachers

SIALKOT: Over 200 government boys and girls primary schools have been lying closed for over three years due to the unavailability of teachers and additional staff in the Sialkot district.

Senior education officials have said that the government has repeatedly made claims and promises to fill the vacant posts with competent teachers but has not followed through. “We need competent teachers and academic staff to operate an educational facility and we are currently lacking both, which is why thousands of children are either not in school or are learning nothing even when they are,” said education officer Salauddin Cheema.

Sialkot-based senior officials of the education department recently disclosed that no teacher had been appointed in these schools since 1996 which was why dozens of institutions had been lying closed in various rural areas and most were presently serving as cattle sheds for local landlords.  When contacted, concerned officials said that they were unable to appoint any teacher to re-open these schools because they were located in remote rural areas of the Sialkot district and no teacher was willing to relocate to such locations.

Local social, religious and academic representatives have expressed grave concern over the situation, urging the government to take

effective measures for the early re-opening of closed schools in the district.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28^th, 2010.