Overlooked: Already neglected, govt schools now face closure
The earthquake, floods, and the Taliban insurgency have severely affected education in Swat.
The region, which once had a high literacy rate, took a severe blow after militants destroyed hundreds of schools in the valley, most of which were built during the years of Miangul Abdul Haq Jahanzeb - the last wali (ruler) of Swat - between 1949 and 1969.
Despite all this, children continued to study in tents, while rented buildings were hired after the provincial government assured the payment of rent for buildings hired for educational purposes.
However, the rent for 41 buildings has not been paid by the government, due to which these schools are on the verge of closing.
The building owners have threatened to shut down the schools if their rents were not paid. “Every head teacher has signed an agreement with the owners regarding the monthly rent and we are faced with a serious issue of non-payment. The building owners come to us every day asking for the rent,” said the head teacher of Government Boys High School Ningolai.
“The owner of the building will not let me go even when the school building is rebuilt and we shift there because he will demand the unpaid rent,” he said, adding that the non-payment issue was damaging the education department’s image.
The issue has also created problems for girls’ schools, due to which some of them had to shut down for a while.
“One morning, when we came to school, the door was closed by the owner, who was demanding rent. The school remained closed for ten days and all educational activities were suspended,” said the headmistress of Government Girls Middle School Nigolai (GGMSN).
“We appeal to the authorities to pay the building owners so that educational activities, which have already suffered a great deal, can go on smoothly,” she added.
It has been observed that some schools have put the burden of the rent on students by charging fees directly from them, causing a rapid decrease in enrolment.
“Nearly 20 students have left our school as they cannot afford to pay the fee. The majority of students in government schools come from poor families and are unable to pay the school fee,” said Neelum, a student at GGSMN.
According to a district education department official who wished not to be named, the case has been forwarded to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Education. He hoped that funds would be released soon, which would solve the problem.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2011.
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A primary and secondary educational program is expected to educate children beginning around 4 or 5. If they are being given the time to dedicate themselves to study and play instead of child labor they do not go to work for income outside home for another ten years. Vocational education has a much shorter pay back period. Students do not enter a vocational program until they are old enough to work. The ideal is for students to complete the primary and as much secondary as possible first. The government is presumed to be better financed for the long term investment in basic education which has little differentiation. A private program in a private class room can supply education which comes after basic to enable the students to train in skills for employers and earn money which can pay for programs in short term. Swat now needs both forms of education and if the students in basic education move over to public buildings the landowners have not lost a market for their buildings. The average age and the purpose of the education just changes.
What good will private buildings do if the government won't pay the rent. The school system needs it's own buildings. Particularly ones that are locally controlled so they won't be demolished illegally like the school in Saudu Shaif so recently was. Now the government officials "know nothing" of that destruction. The Wali is turning over in his grave and hopefully will haunt the perps.
The private buildings occupied by the Swat schools have a role to play in education even after repair to the public schools. The Miangul family are currently investigating how it might be possible to get American distance learning vocational schools to establish their programs in Swat. Those buildings would be useful for those students who might be post secondary having completed the basic public program.