Education compromised: Gwadar’s largest school remains unfunded

The school is close to crumbling due to lack of funds and maintenance.

PASNI:

The provincial government has earmarked up to Rs2 billion for the promotion of education in each district of Balochistan and according to sources the amount has already been disbursed. Yet, the largest school of the important coastal district of Gwadar has not received a rupee.

Parents and staff members of the Government Higher Secondary School Pasni have expressed serious concern over the lack of funds and maintenance of the school building – a serious risk for students.

The dilapidated roofs of the school are at risk of falling anytime in the overcrowded classrooms, they said. On many occasions, students have been electrocuted while trying to switch on the fan or lights, due to exposed wiring and broken electric switches.

The school management has locked many classrooms out of fear of an unwanted incident and as a result students are stuffed into the remaining classrooms.

Even drinking water is unavailable. Bathrooms are not managed causing serious problems for the 2, 000 students. School labs have not been supplied new equipment since 1980. There are no security arrangements and the computers of the school were stolen a month back.

The principal of the school, Muhammad Jan Raza, told The Express Tribune that the maintenance of the building has not been properly carried out and parts of the roof are loosening. He said that electrical wiring and fans could also collapse; therefore the rooms that pose the most threat have been shut. He said that more than 100 students have to sit in one room now.

Raza said that education is being compromised as a result of the overcrowded classrooms.

He said that the school, the largest in the district, has around 2,000 students on its rolls. It is run in two shifts –the morning shift is for boys and girls studying up to secondary classes while the evening shift is for intermediate college.

Provincial minister for fisheries Hammal Kalmati, who is also an MPA from Gwadar, had assured the school management that he would provide aid from his special funds to help the school come out of its problems. However, he has failed to live up to his promise.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2011.