Stay of implementation: Student union in FATA fights for construction of college

Former govt approved Govt Degree College Dogar in Kurram in 2004.

PESHAWAR: FATA Students Organisation (FSO) has said the Directorate of Education in the tribal areas failed to construct Government Degree College (GDC) Dogar. According to the FSO, former governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah had given orders in 2004 to initiate its construction in Kurram Agency.

“Not even a single brick has been laid down so far, but the building of GDC Dogar does exist in official documents,” FSO President Shaukat Aziz told The Express Tribune.

FSO representatives held a meeting with FATA Director for Education Professor Hamidullah Jan at FATA Secretariat last week. However, Aziz said the official only made assurances that the PC-I was ready and work would commence soon.

“When asked about the current situation, the director said the lack of progress in constructing GDC Dogar was a failure of the previous government,” said Aziz. “Only a foundation was dug up, while no bricks have been laid down,” said the FSO president. He added GDC was non-functional since 2004 yet staff salaries, petty cash, and other non-development funds have been released for the institution in every fiscal budget.

Kurram Agency Education Officer Majeed Khan confirmed GDC Dogar was non-functional. “I think Dogar was situated in a more remote area of Kurram; that’s why the previous government’s administration found it difficult to construct there,” said Majeed.

The education officer shared the government had approved three higher education institutes in Kurram, including Ali Zai and Bagan degree colleges. Majeed said Ali Zai and Bagan degree colleges were constructed in 2005. “However, according to the documents, the contractor, Inayatullah, refused to construct DGC Dogar due to its high cost.”

A college with absent staff

Meanwhile, Sada Degree College was successfully built but there is no teaching staff available for students to start their session. Students told The Express Tribune the appointed staff members live in far-flung areas and hardly visit the campus.

Students added teachers threatened them and only allowed students who paid a minimum of Rs500 per paper to take their annual examinations. When asked, teachers refuted all allegations and said they previously informed the agency education officers that students do not attend classes on a regular basis.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th,  2015.