NA question hour: Over 32% schools in FATA destroyed
Qadir Baloch tells tale of 1,029 educational institutions damaged or destroyed.
Qadir Baloch tells tale of 1,029 educational institutions damaged or destroyed. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The upper house of the parliament was informed on Friday that over 32% of the education institutions in the tribal areas of Pakistan have been destroyed in militancy.
Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron), Lt General (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch informed the National Assembly that over 1,029 educational institutions are non-functional in the federally administered tribal areas (Fata). He added that majority of the schools were destroyed in the military operation against militants.
“Over 947 educational institutions were completely closed due to [the] worsening law and order situation while 82 schools have been damaged in FATA,” Qadir informed the lawmakers in a written reply. Some 4,664 government schools were operational in 2008 in Fata, according to Bureau of Statistics of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s reports.
Member National Assembly Qaisar Jamal Afridi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had raised the question over closure of educational institutions in tribal areas. “Education system in Fata has been completely destroyed—it must be revived now no matter what,” he told The Express Tribune.
He said that it seems that the federal government has nothing to do with over seven million people—as only 3,000 schools are partially operating in the tribal areas, he observed. The only two degree colleges in Dera Adam Khail and Frontier Peshawar have already been destroyed in militancy, he said, adding that he was trying to convince international donors to invest on education in these areas.
Providing a breakdown, the written reply informed the parliament that as many as 944 schools were destroyed in military operations, while 31 in sectarian violence, 16 in floods and eight schools were damaged in local disputes. Around Rs1 billion will be needed to reconstruct secondary schools, Rs650 million for primary schools, Rs500 million for colleges and Rs550 million for elementary schools.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 7th, 2013.
The upper house of the parliament was informed on Friday that over 32% of the education institutions in the tribal areas of Pakistan have been destroyed in militancy.
Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron), Lt General (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch informed the National Assembly that over 1,029 educational institutions are non-functional in the federally administered tribal areas (Fata). He added that majority of the schools were destroyed in the military operation against militants.
“Over 947 educational institutions were completely closed due to [the] worsening law and order situation while 82 schools have been damaged in FATA,” Qadir informed the lawmakers in a written reply. Some 4,664 government schools were operational in 2008 in Fata, according to Bureau of Statistics of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s reports.
Member National Assembly Qaisar Jamal Afridi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had raised the question over closure of educational institutions in tribal areas. “Education system in Fata has been completely destroyed—it must be revived now no matter what,” he told The Express Tribune.
He said that it seems that the federal government has nothing to do with over seven million people—as only 3,000 schools are partially operating in the tribal areas, he observed. The only two degree colleges in Dera Adam Khail and Frontier Peshawar have already been destroyed in militancy, he said, adding that he was trying to convince international donors to invest on education in these areas.
Providing a breakdown, the written reply informed the parliament that as many as 944 schools were destroyed in military operations, while 31 in sectarian violence, 16 in floods and eight schools were damaged in local disputes. Around Rs1 billion will be needed to reconstruct secondary schools, Rs650 million for primary schools, Rs500 million for colleges and Rs550 million for elementary schools.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 7th, 2013.