State of education: ‘5,193 children in Cholistan out of schools’

13 schools do not have a building, fifty-seven do not have boundary walls: Reflection Action Group President

BAHAWALPUR:

Allocation for Cholistan schools must be raised and locals given priority in appointments, Reflection Action Group President Junaid Nazeer said on Saturday.

He was speaking at a press conference organised by the Al Sadiq Desert Welfare Organisation at a local hotel.

Nazeer said there were 75 boys’ and seven girl’s primary schools in Cholistan. “There are three boys and eight girl’s middle schools and three boys and one girl’s high school here,” he said.

“29 of these only have one teacher each and five have shut down due to non-availability of teachers,” he added.

“As many as 13 schools do not have a building. Fifty-seven do not have boundary walls, and 58 schools do not have electricity,” said Nazeer.

He said 5,193 children (2,637 boys and 2,556 girls) of school going age in Cholistan were deprived of education.

He said in 2011 Street Cholistan project was initiated and community schools were established in Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalnagar.

Rustam Kulyaar, the Reflection Action Group general secretary, said a lack of funds could shut down the project in 2014. “More than 11,000 children will be out of school if the project closes down,” said Kulyaar.

He said senior teachers at community schools were paid only Rs5,000 whereas junior teachers received Rs2,500 monthly.

Kulyaar said the government should raise the salaries of the teachers and provide them with conveyance facility.

The speakers demanded that the budget for education in Cholistan be raised.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2013.