Girls’ schools in Asad Qaiser's constituency cry out for facilities

One school has insufficient facilities, classrooms while another school has insufficient teachers

PESHAWAR: Even though the PTI government had claimed to have made record strides in improving the educational situation in the province with students from private schools now enrolling in government schools, the situation on the ground is such that many schools still lack basic facilities.

In Swabi, the hometown of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, there are two primary girls schools which lack sufficient teachers and basic facilities.

One school is located in Baja, Union Council Lalu Dehri while the other school is located in Bam Khel. One is overcrowded while the other lacks sufficient teachers.

A teacher, who did not wish to be named for fear of reprisal, told The Express Tribune via telephone that in one of the schools there were 850 students enrolled with some of the classes having as many as 140 students but they have insufficient classrooms, Hence, two teachers can be seen teaching two separate classes at the same time in the same classroom.

“Have you ever heard or seen anything like this in the country,” she asked.

She added that the school has two levels. But the upper level of the school building lacks basic facilities such as ceiling fans and no water connection for bathrooms which are supposed to service over 600 students studying on the floor.

“This is pathetic since students have to go to the lower portion of the school to fulfil their basic needs,” the teacher complained.

She added that NA Assembly Speaker is acutely aware of the situation in the schools since he was the one who had inaugurated newly-built upper storey of the school.

The teacher said that the school’s headmistress has already written to the female district education officer of Swabi about the poor conditions in the school apart from communicating the issues verbally.



She urged Qaiser to take notice of the issue and help improve facilities at the school.

At the other school, Baja Primary Girls School in UC Lalu Dheri, there are 310 students enrolled.

However, the school only has three teachers on its books. One of these teachers has been on leave for a while and a second teacher has applied for maternity leave and will be unavailable from next month.

“I wonder how will I manage a school of 310 students,” an exasperated female teacher of the school told The Express Tribune.

The Bam Khel school had suggested to the Swabi female EDO that two of its teachers could be transferred to Baja school since they had 20 teachers available.

However, the offer was met with a wall of silence. Despite repeated attempts to contact Swabi Female EDO Rehana, she could not be reached.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2018.