BATTAGRAM: The students of Government Boys Degree College, Battagram, took to the streets here on Saturday to protest shortage of teachers.

Carrying placards inscribed with slogans against the provincial government, the students started their march from the college and converged at the Katcheri Chowk. They claimed that the college was short of teachers and the available staffers were also not performing their duties properly.

They alleged that the college staff members were busy in leg-pulling to gain authority at the cost of the studies of students.

They said the government had started BS programme in the college, but many students could not get admission because of limited number of seats.

They said the PTI government claimed to have improved education system in the province, but the ground reality was to the contrary.

Ameer Mohammad, a second year student, said the government should take stern action against the teachers involved in politics.

Student Noor Mohammad said along with providing staff to the college the government should also start BS programme in disciplines like zoology, chemistry and political science.

He pointed out that the students had met the local lawmakers and the district government representatives to fulfill vacant posts of teachers, but to no avail.

Student Mohammad Qasim said the students from Torghar and Kohistan districts and far flung areas of Battagram took admissions in the college, but due to shortage of teachers, their studies were suffering.

He said the poor parents did not have the resources to send their children to other districts for getting education, and demanded of the government to fill the vacant posts of teachers and also increase the seats in BS programme.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2017