SWABI, Jan 11: Militants can’t frighten the government by bombing schools into stopping educating children, said provincial education minister Sardar Hussain Babak on Wednesday.

“We can’t be browbeaten by them (militants). If they continue destroying schools, we’ll continue rebuilding them. No one could deprive our children of quality education. We won’t let them succeed,” he told participants of a function where winners of a district government sports tournament were given prizes.

The place was around two kilometres from Turlandi village, where militants blew up a girls school of late.

Mr Babak said his government was committed to educating children in the province despite the targeting of schools by militants.

He asked militants to stop destroying schools, saying they won’t be able to succeed in their ‘nefarious designs’.

“We know very well how to counter them and how to serve our people,” he said.

The minister also said: “We are followers of Fakhr-i-Afghan (Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan). He was the first person to struggle for education of Pakhtun children against all the odds. He never gave up his mission and we’re determinedly following it.”

He urged schoolchildren to actively participate in sports and said that would keep them from falling into wrong hands.

He said the government wanted to see ‘pen and paper’ in children’s hands by thwarting the terrorists’ plans to give them weapons.

“Sports is the best way to defeat terrorism and ensure durable peace in Pakhtun regions,” he said.

Mr Babak announced the immediate start of science classes in the government secondary school, Manasafdar and said Rs13 million would be provided to the educational institution on emergency basis.

He also said the government would upgrade the girls primary school of Manasafdar to the middle level in line with the locals’ longstanding demand.

The minister appreciated the role of the district sport committee, especially its general secretary Tilawat Shah, in promoting educational activities in Swabi.

He later gave away trophies to winning teams of government high schools.

Pigeons were also freed on the occasion to show that locals are opposed to militancy and want peace.

Noted among those in attendance were executive district officer, Swabi, Abdus Salam and former local MPA Amir Rehman.