ISLAMABAD: At a time when students in the urban areas of Islamabad are enjoying best educational facilities, including indoor sports activities, their counterparts in rural areas of the capital are even without basic facilities.

In one of the schools located in Phulgran, a drinking water cooler is installed in the washroom for students while the school has no boundary wall to protect the students from a nearby nullah.

Similarly, in another school, rainwater remains accumulated disturbing educational activities whenever it rains as the school building is located in a depression. The washrooms of most of schools were found filthy.

This was pointed out by a parliamentary committee after a snap visit to some schools in Bhara Kahu sector, Dawn has learnt.

NA subcommittee starts snap visit to check services, identity gaps and make recommendations for improvement

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training formed a four-member subcommittee headed by MNA Prof Engineer Abdul Aleem Khan. The committee was supposed “to check the services, identity gaps and make recommendations for further improvement of schools and degree colleges”.

Sources in the Federal Directorate of Education and the Ministry of Education told Dawn that the subcommittee made a surprise visit on Wednesday to five schools in Bhara Kahu. The sources said the committee pointed out lack of basis facilities in all the five visited schools.

On the other hand, the schools and colleges located in the urban areas of the capital have best facilities and are regularly provided more. The students in these schools even have chess and scrabbles for enjoying their free time.

“This is injustice. Focus is paid only in schools of urban areas where after raising the already constructed boundary walls new were being built. Similarly, students of urban areas have best facilities, but out of five visited schools by the committee, there was no boundary wall in a boys school (in Phulgran), which is located on the bank of a nullah,’ said an official.

In the absence of a boundary wall, he added, stray dogs and puppies could also enter the premises. However, the committee members showed their satisfaction over the learning outcome of students. However, in the school located in a depression, students can’t study in rain, said the official.

Under the ongoing project worth Rs7 billion, the education ministry is renovating schools and colleges, but its main focus has been in urban areas.

One of the committee members MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan said that rural area schools in general lacked facilities.

“We pointed out the deficiencies and we will ensure that rural area schools also get facilities,” he said. The committee members were, however, happy over the competency level of rural area students, he added.

“The students of rural areas are good and if provided best facilities like urban areas, they can compete with them easily,” he said.

When contacted, a spokesperson for the education ministry said that under the current project special focus will also be paid on rural schools and there would be no difference between schools of rural and urban areas.

“The development project was started a year ago and it is an ongoing project under which we set up computer labs in rural areas as well and you will soon major changes as now we are going to shift our focus on rural areas as well,” he said.

The spokesperson said the reason behind rainwater accummulating on the premises of the Bobri school was because housing societies around it had been developed at a higher level.

“We will fix the problem next week,” he added.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the convener of the subcommittee, Prof Abdul Aleem Khanzada, stated the members were embarking on a visit to schools and colleges in rural and urban areas of Islamabad.

The purpose of the visit is to assess the challenges in the education sector, appreciate the achievements of the ministry and suggest remedial measures for improvement wherever needed.

“The subcommittee aims to ensure quality education with equity, and this visit is a crucial step in identifying areas that require attention,” he said.

During the visit, the convener said the subcommittee members will engage with educators, students and stakeholders to gain a comprehensive understanding of the education landscape in ICT. The subcommittee’s recommendations would be submitted for policy reforms and initiatives to enhance the quality of education in the country, he said.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2024