Teacher shortages close seven Bara schools

Staff deficits and security issues disrupt girls' primary education

BARA:

A severe shortage of teachers, compounded by security concerns, has forced the closure of seven government girls' primary schools in Bara, while 101 teaching posts and 34 non-teaching positions remain vacant across the sub-division.

According to figures from the Sub-Divisional Education Office (Female) Bara, of the 310 sanctioned teaching posts in government primary schools in Bara tehsil, only 209 are filled. Non-teaching staff sanctioned strength stands at 270, of which 236 posts are occupied. Primary School Teacher (PST) positions number 145 sanctioned with 81 filled and 64 vacant; Primary School Head Teacher (PSHT) posts total 143 with 106 filled and 37 vacant. All 22 Trained Teacher (TT) posts are occupied. Among non-teaching staff, 142 of 143 chowkidar posts and 94 of 127 Class-IV caretaker posts are filled.

Documents from the education department show that of Bara's 142 government girls' primary schools, seven are closed, four for lack of teachers and three because of the law-and-order situation. Schools closed due to teacher unavailability include Government Girls Primary School Haji Mina Dar Khan Kalay Akakhel, Government Girls Primary School Tangi Nazar Khel Bargambar Khel, Government Girls Primary School Ham Kalay Tarkhuks Upper Bara and Government Girls Primary School Khuga Jan Bara. Those shut over security issues are Government Girls Primary School Zale Khan Tirah, Government Girls Primary School Muhammad Din Shah and Government Girls Primary School Khwaja Kalay Tirah. The closures are affecting local girls' education, while staff shortages are also disrupting teaching in functioning schools.

Sub-Divisional Education Officer (Female) Bara Shakeela Hussain told The Express Tribune that rising student numbers have deepened the crisis. Most primary schools in the sub-division have only one or two permanent female teachers, yet some now enrol as many as 500 girls. Through the Parent-Teacher Council (PTC), 282 local candidates have been selected against 300 female teacher posts; they will serve until the end of the current academic session. Their appointment has already boosted admissions. Hussain said permanent recruitment through the Educational Testing and Evaluation Agency (ETEA) remains essential, and a request has been submitted for 333 additional PTC teachers. Government girls' primary schools in Bara currently have 24,500 students, with admissions continuing until December.

The temporary Sub-Divisional Education Office (Female) itself faces practical problems. Housed in a single room inside the Bara Tehsil Building, near district administration, sub-jail and police offices, the location creates access difficulties for female teachers and parents. The office also lacks a washroom for women. Local elders and parents have urged the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governor to shift the office immediately to the Municipal Building in Bara for the convenience of women teachers and girls' parents.

District-wide figures underline the scale of the challenge. Khyber has 747 government schools, 406 for boys and 341 for girls, comprising 588 primary, 87 middle, 51 high, six higher secondary, six mosque and six DSS schools. The district employs 1,149 female and 1,586 male teachers. Twenty-five government primary schools operate with a single teacher: 16 in Bara, seven in Landi Kotal and two in Jamrud. Of these, seven are boys' schools and 18 girls' schools (Bara: three boys' and 13 girls'; Jamrud: one each; Landi Kotal: three boys' and four girls').

Education circles say filling vacant posts, reopening closed schools and ensuring permanent teaching staff are essential to raise standards in government schools. Officials are expected to produce a clear action plan.