TAXILA: Despite a nationwide school enrolment drive launched this April and the government’s claims that school enrolment lies at the forefront of Pakistan’s battle to improve education, the situation on the ground has not shown much improvement.

At the Government Boys High School in Hassanabdal, for example, students study under the open sky, with a tree’s shadow as their roof, walls as their blackboards, bricks as chairs and tree branches on which they hang their schoolbags.

Government schools in rural areas still lack furniture, classrooms and even blackboards due to apathy on the part of the education authorities and public representatives.

The Government Boys High School is just a few yards from the Hassanabdal Cadet College. It lacks basic facilities, like drinking water, seating arrangements and classrooms. Over 850 students, all from primary years other than one middle school class, are forced to study in the open due to the shortage of classrooms.

Some of the students at the school come from low-income families, and their parents cannot afford to provide them with proper uniforms and shoes.

Govt schools in rural areas lack furniture, basic amenities

Zareen Gull, a second grade student, said that due to the lack of furniture, students had to sit on the floor and many of his classmates fell ill after sitting on the floor in the cold. Meanwhile, being made to sit on bricks is difficult in the scorching heat.

A third grade student, Usman, cried as he explained that it was unbearable to attend class under the sun without a fan.

A local resident, Shahid Khan, said the millions spent on publicising the government’s achievements in the education sector should be spent on actually bringing improvement to schools. Bilquis Bibi, the mother of one of the students asked how policymakers in furnished, comfortable offices could understand what it was like for children to sit on the bare floor in harsh weather.

Teachers also voiced concerns over the failure of the authorities to take steps to accommodate the ever-increasing number of students.

A teacher said: “Even though we have put forward several requests, the authorities have failed to construct new rooms.”

Another teacher said the school administration had sent the education department countless requests and reminders to provide basic amenities, but never heard back.

Sanaullah, a teacher, said at least four classes take place either on the veranda or in the courtyard of the school depending on weather conditions.

Iftikharul Haq, the school headmaster, confirmed that there are no classes when it rains.

“In case of rain there are no classes as we merge different classes in the veranda and existing classrooms.” He also said many students had fainted because of the harsh, humid weather.

In response to a question, Mr Haq said the local and district education authorities were well aware of the state of affairs at the school. He said officials from the education department and the district monitoring team had visited the school and made recommendations for the provision of facilities, but so far no action had been taken by the concerned authorities.

When contacted, district education officer Khalid Chaudhry said the district and provincial education authorities were aware of the shortage of teaching staff at the school. He said there are currently 18 classes, but 12 classrooms.

Mr Chaudhry said the matter has been submitted to the provincial education department and work on the construction of classrooms would begin after the necessary funding was released.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2016