BADIN, March 23: The state of education at all levels in probably the most backward district of the province is in a shambles with no signs of improvement in near or far future as the very people who are responsible for education have become the root cause of its destruction.

The government’s ‘education for all’ programme launched on a massive scale on national level with a huge allocation of funds is nowhere to be seen in the district with conflicting reports about the programme's success.Some reports claimed that the situation had improved to some extent after the formation of district education board but it was out into reverse once again after the introduction of new set-up of committees.

Some reports said that difference of opinion among high officials at the district education department and the members of monitoring committees appointed by the chief minister had impeded rather than streamlined running the affairs.

Convenor of chief minister's monitoring committee Dr Mohammad Saleem Memon described the situation in education department as grim and said that no official was prepared to provide him correct information. The officials’ efforts were concentrated on sheltering their inefficient subordinates, he charged.

He said that he had no exact figures of school dropouts and teachers strength and added that officials themselves were to blame for destroying the academic atmosphere.

During a visit to 120 schools he witnessed pathetic condition of schools with his own eyes but the officials concerned did not feel any responsibility for the rot in education, he said.

Mr Memon said that he found 225 ghost schools including nine girls’ schools in Shaheed Fazil Rahu taluka with no enrolment at all but teachers appointed there drawing salaries in connivance with education officials.

Only 10 per cent of all the teachers were performing their duties honestly and punctually while the rest were least interested in their job, he said and added that he found only 17 students present out of 200 on roll, three teachers and a head mistress at the Girls Primary School Tarai, Shaheed Fazil Rahu taluka.

He said that there were 203 closed schools in the district and their number might be higher as the education officials had paid no attention to raising enrolment.

Mr Memon said that nearly 100 buildings of educational institutions were in dilapidated condition while 19 buildings were in dangerous condition. The officials had been informed of the situation but they had not made any alternate arrangements to save the children’s lives, he said and added that he would apprise the chief minister about the state of affairs.

When asked about another monitoring committee formed by the EDO of education he said that there was no need of another committee.

EDO Education Shabbir Ahmed said while talking from Karachi on phone that he had formed the committee to find out reasons behind non-functioning schools. There were about 1,200 closed schools and of them 850 had been reopened but 400 still remained closed, he said.

The EDO said that the government would take action against the landlords or waderas who were using the school buildings for purposes other than education.

Members of the EDO’s committee said that the landlords had turned majority of school buildings into their Otaqs and said that another reason for the schools’ closure was migration of population.