Before the attack on Waheed, the school had around 600 enrolled students. Now, the number has gone down to 200.
After the murder of Abdul Waheed, the Bright Educational Society (BES) in Qasba Islamia Colony shut down 15 days ahead of summer vacations as the staff stopped coming in, said a worker Muhammad Sajid.
“The government did little to provide us security. The NGO is also facing severe financial constraints after Waheed’s death, which has jeopardised the livelihood of 80 people, including 28 teachers,” he said. “More than half the students stopped coming [for classes] after Waheed’s murder. People of the area have also warned us that we are not safe.”
Before the attack on Waheed, the school had around 600 enrolled students. Now, the number has gone down to 200. “After the grenade attacks, people have become scared and no longer want their children to study at our school,” said Syed Latif of the BES. “I’m afraid that if the government does not take this issue seriously, then the future of more children will be in jeopardy.”
According to Latif, since children were dropping out of the school, it was also becoming financially weak. “We need Rs110,000 per month to meet the teachers’ salaries and right now, we are not meeting that requirement.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2013.
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