Bara schools fail girls amid shortages

Girls' education in Khyber district, particularly in Bara tehsil, is confronting serious challenges. While a large number of educational institutions exist on paper, the severe shortage of basic facilities, teaching staff, and modern learning opportunities has badly affected the entire education system.

According to official statistics, there are 420 government girls' schools in Khyber district. In Bara tehsil alone, there are 132 girls' primary schools, nine middle schools, five high schools, and only one girls' higher secondary school. More than 22,000 girls are enrolled at the primary level, while around 6,000 students are studying from Class 6 to Second Year. The tehsil also has one solitary girls' degree college.

Sub-Divisional Education Officer Bara, Dr Sher Zaman Afridi, acknowledged that most school buildings are complete and basic facilities are available. However, the acute shortage of teaching staff remains a major problem. He revealed that girls' primary schools in Bara are short of more than 500 teachers, which is badly affecting the education of female students.

Dr Afridi stressed the urgent need for local recruitment of teachers to fill this gap. He added that the shortage of subject specialist teachers, especially science teachers, at the high and higher secondary levels has also become critical. According to provincial policy, there should be one higher secondary school every 12 kilometres, but Bara currently has only one girls' higher secondary school, located in Klanga Akakhel.

The only girls' degree college in Bara has failed to meet modern educational standards. Principal Zarqa Shabir told The Express Tribune the college is affiliated with Benazir Women University and currently has around 400 students enrolled. However, only the BS Urdu programme is running, with just 18 students admitted.

The principal pointed out that the absence of science and computer laboratories has prevented the launch of other BS programmes. Despite repeatedly bringing the matter to the attention of the government, particularly Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, no practical steps have been taken so far.

Other serious issues include the lack of transport, security, and non-teaching staff. The college has only two police personnel for security, which is highly insufficient. Repeated requests made to the District Police Officer (DPO) Khyber for enhanced security have gone unanswered.

Meanwhile, social activist Torab Ali Afridi from the mountainous Upper Bara area said that although schools exist in many places, they are lying deserted due to the complete absence of teaching staff. As a result, both boys and girls are being deprived of basic education. Despite multiple complaints to the authorities, no progress has been made.

On the other hand, senior Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Maulana Syed Jaleel Afridi, while highlighting the problems of students affected by displacement in Tirah Valley, said education is a fundamental right of every human being. However, children in the former tribal districts, especially in Bara and Tirah Valley, are being denied this right.

He revealed that thousands of families who migrated from Tirah Valley due to recent unrest have been without educational facilities for more than four months. He demanded that the government take immediate emergency steps to restore educational activities for the affected students.

He noted that in tribal society, girls' education is now being given considerable importance, and any further delay would be highly damaging.

Repeated attempts were made to obtain comments from elected public representatives and concerned officials, but no response was received.