CHARSADDA: Most of the state-run educational institutions in the district face shortage of staff, particularly principals and science teachers, according to sources.

They said that 19 posts of principals and dozens of posts of teachers in 18 higher secondary schools and 61 high schools for boys were vacant in the district.

Sources said that government high and higher secondary schools in Matta Mughalkhel, Tangi No-I, Dargai Sherpao, Umazarzai, Dhaki, Khazana, Mandani, Zuhrab Gul Kalley Bubak, Hari Chand, Shakar Dhand Behlula, Shodag, Rajar No-II, Turangzai No-II, Saro Kallay and Mirzai were short of staff.

Local social workers Tariq Jan Qureshi, Mohammad Aziz, district president of Pakhtun Students Federation Shehr Yar Khan, Mohammad Owais Arif of Al-Khidmat Foundation and Pir Asif Khan Turangzai said that shortage of teachers in educational institutions was not only affecting standard of education but also creating administrative problems.

They said that shortage of teachers and lack of facilities in schools shattered the confidence of parents in state-run educational institutions.

19 posts of principals lying vacant in the district

“People prefer to send their children to private schools despite skyrocketing fees and other expenses,” they added.

The social workers said that lack of facilities in government schools and high fees of private schools forced most of the children belonging to poor families to leave their studies incomplete.

Sources said that situation in schools for girls was more dismal. “Six posts of principals, 95 posts of SSTs, 307 posts of PSTs and 50 posts of CT are vacant in nine higher secondary schools, 39 high schools, 52 middle schools and 459 primary schools for girls in the district,” they added.

Sources said that most of the students preferred to select subjects of arts owing to absence of science teachers in their schools. They said that female education was vital for progress and prosperity of any nation.

Apart from shortage of teachers, many schools in the district have no buildings and students attend classes in the open. Most of the schools in the district have neither toilets nor potable drinking water.

The provincial government has declared education emergency in the province but its efforts will not bear fruit without provision of facilities and required number teachers to schools.

The provincial government has taken several positive measures for promotion of education including increase in funds, introduction of monitoring system, recruitment of teachers through NTS tests, construction of new school buildings, establishment of science and computer laboratories and arranging training courses for teachers.

However, shortage of competent principals and science teachers in the schools is a great challenge for the government to overcome.

Siraj Mohammad, the district education officer (DEO), when contacted, said that report was sent to directorate of education and arrangements were being made to fill all the vacant posts in the schools.

He said that applications were sought from candidates by the directorate of education and even NTS tests were conducted. “However, results of the tests are awaited,” he added.

The DEO said that after new appointments, the issue of shortage teachers in schools would be resolved.

However, he said that other facilities could not be provided to schools through the meagre funds of parent-teacher councils.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2017