Finding employment: Man locks up school, throws out furniture for not being given job in education dept

Rahib Ali Umrani claims he had asked for a suitable role in exchange of the school's land.

SUKKUR: The education of more than 120 students has been put at stake by a villager who, embittered by failing to get a job in the education department, threw out the furniture of Government Primary School Nangar Ali Umrani.

Around 22 years ago, Rahib Ali Umrani, resident of the Nangar Ali Umrani village near the Naudero bypass, had given a piece of land to the education department to construct a primary school. In return, he wanted a job in the education department, he told reporters.



"Despite the lapse of more than two decades, the education department has not given me a job, and instead, dozens have been appointed on different posts," he said.

"I am now in my late 50s, and therefore am not eligible for a government job, but my son is. When senior education department officials repeatedly turned down my requests, I was left with no other option than to close the school. I will not allow the school to be reopened until my son is provided with a suitable job in the department."

Education department supervisor Syed Gada Hussain Shah confirmed the closure of the school and said that the students found that the school's furniture was thrown out and the building was locked up when they returned from their summer holidays on August 5. "We contacted Umrani and requested him to allow the children to continue their education in the school, but he refused, he said. "Upon his refusal and with no alternative building available, the children started their classes under the shade of the trees outside the school building."

However, Umrani asked them to vacate the area as well. The school's teachers are now teaching at the Behram Khan Lohar Primary School, which is situated on the other side of the Naudero bypass. The children, however, have no school to go to at the moment.

The Larkana district primary education officer Nawab Ali Khokhar claimed that Umrani had initially given the piece of land without naming any such condition and it was only later that he had demanded a job in return. Senior officials had asked him to transfer the land's rights of ownership and promised him that his case would be considered once he does so, Khokhar added. However, Umrani is unwilling to listen to their demand.

"If he does not vacate the school building within the next two days, we will lodge an FIR against him," said Khokhar.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2014.