Secondary classes suspended in Bajaur due to shortage of teachers

SHABQADAR: Classes for ninth and tenth grades have been suspended at the government school in Salazai due to shortage of trained staff.

Shafiullah, a resident of Shangar Gul Salazai, Bajaur Agency told the media that over  100 students have been asked to study in other schools after classes for the two senior grades were temporarily suspended.

According to a 2015 report, some 64,000 children were out of schools in the agency.



A report from the Bajaur Agency education officer stated that the government schools in seven tehsils – Barang, Chamarkand, Khar, Mamund, Nawagai, Salarzai and Utmankhel – had only 1,912 teachers and 1,645 viable rooms. According to the report, not only do these schools need 2,331 more rooms, they also need 2,132 teachers.

In Barang tehsil, the total number of boys and girls in government primary, middle, high and community schools was 10,309. But to teach these children, there were only 147 teachers present in the entire tehsil. The report also suggested that around 131 additional teachers and some 144 rooms were required to fulfil the need in the area in 2015.

Militancy has also badly affected the overall state of education in Bajaur Agency where several schools have been blown up. By 2015, in Bajaur Agency militants had destroyed about 108 schools during eight years.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27^th, 2017.