KOHAT: Shortage of classrooms, furniture and staff has been affecting the education of about 300 students of Government Primary School, Khattak Colony, here for the last four years. There are only three teachers and two classrooms for these students, all of whom sit on the ground.

Usually, the classes held outside the rooms move with the shadow of wall as the Sun moves on and the students are granted leave at 12 noon when the heat becomes unbearable.

District councillor of Urban-V, Dr. Matiullah Shah, said that he and the teachers had been asking the education department to build additional classrooms and also hire more teachers to save the future of the children, but it was not paying heed.

Councillor says Kohat education officials not paying heed to the problem

He said that four years ago a philanthropist had given four-marla land for the construction of primary school on which two rooms were built. As it was a vast locality as many as 300 students got admission in the school, but due to lack of space most of them were accommodated in the gallery and front yard under a tent. Even some of the students were adjusted in the backyard on the private land without any shelter.

The councillor said that he had visited the office of the district education department several times and he was told that one room had been approved for the school, but a technical problem erupted in its construction on an excuse that the size of room could not be finalised.

Answering a question, he said that MPA Ziaullah Bangash had visited the school several times, but did not allocate funds for construction of a proper building for the school.

Dr Shah said that they had planned a second storey for construction of two additional classrooms, but the education department was not cooperating. He said that at least five classrooms were needed keeping in view the strength of the students.

COMPENSATION: Deputy commissioner, Kohat, Khalid Ilyas on Friday announced a compensation of Rs500,000 each for heirs of nine labourers who had perished in Akhorwal coalmine disaster in Darra Adamkhel.

According to a statement issued here, the DC also approved Rs100,000 each for four other labourers who had received burn injuries. Besides, he okayed compensation of Rs12,000 per month for children of the deceased till the age of maturity.

Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2018