Unfulfilled promises: Ghost school continues to haunt Dherai residents

Government Girls Primary School dysfunctional since being damaged in 2010 floods.

MINGORA:

Government Girls Primary School (GGPS) in Dherai has been dysfunctional since 2009, residents told The Express Tribune.

Situated in Mankyal union council of Bahrain tehsil, the red-brick building which once taught over 200 children how to read and write, has now become a ghost school.

The red-brick school building has become a ghost school. PHOTO: MUJAHID TORWALI

“There are no teachers at the school,” said Fahim, a young boy who lives in the area. “The watchman uses the premises as a warehouse.”

According to Fahim, there are many children in the area who are keen to get an education. However, the absence of a functioning school has stunted opportunities to learn.

“Some children who can afford to study end up going to school in a nearby village,” Fahim said. “However, only a few children enjoy this privilege.”

Residents have repeatedly complained of the lack of development work in their area. Some have even gone to the extent of accusing the government of deliberately neglecting the region. Amid these concerns and volleying accusations, social activists in Dherai have consistently struggled to improve the quality of education in the locale.

The red-brick school building has become a ghost school. PHOTO: MUJAHID TORWALI

“The government has repeatedly promised to put an end to illiteracy in the region,” said Mujahid Torwali, a local social activist. “But nothing has been done yet. In fact, the education department doesn’t even know about the problems faced by the GGPS.”

According to him, the absence of teachers at GGPS has been overlooked even though several teaching positions were recently announced in the province.

Residents have urged the provincial government to take immediate steps to make the school functional so their children can continue to get an education.

Planning ahead

When contacted, Parveen Akhtar, a senior district officer in the education office, told The Express Tribune the school’s building was damaged in the 2010 floods.

“Students had been shifted to GGPS, Gornai where they are currently getting an education,” she said. “An NGO is collaborating with the education department to construct another building for the school. Once it is completed, students will be shifted to the new building.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2015.