DADU, Oct 18: Some 121 boys and 142 girls primary schools have been closed in the remote areas of Dadu district since 1994, while 50 girls and boys primary schools have been functioning without buildings, compound walls in the district.

According to a survey conducted by this scribe, in all 263 girls and boys primary schools have been closed in the Katcho, Kachho and Kohistan areas of the district, due to shortage of the teaching staff.

Closing of primary schools in remote areas has adversely affected the education in the rural areas. Some 10,000 girls and boys belonging to poor families have been deprived of education because of non-availability of primary schools in their areas. Only the boys of head of the villages of Katcho, Kachho, Hilly and Kohistan areas attend nearby towns for the education purpose.

While the children of poor villagers are not affording the education, transport and other expenses. Some NGOs and social organizations have established camps at different towns of the district, but they have hardly visited the areas properly, while these social organizations and NGOs have been receiving huge funds from the donor agencies and government in the name of education and other basic facilities.

Some 2,345 primary girls and boys schools are working in Thana Bula Khan taluka, Kotri, Sehwan Sharif, Johi, Dadu, Khairpur Nathan Shah and Mehar talukas of the district. The villagers complained that some supervisors of the education department have been getting Rs500 per month from each primary teachers as a bribe for issuing him “Visa”, i.e. illegally remaining absent from duties.

It was also alleged that some SDOs, deputy DOs and other officials had embezzled millions of rupees in the head of teacher salaries, G.P. funds and other allowances during the period of successive governments and their cases have been sent to NAB (National Accountability Bureau). Now some of the officials have been posted at the seats of head masters of the primary and middle schools of the rural areas of the district and they have not been performing their duties properly.

Some 6,500 teachers have been appointed in Dadu district, while according to 1993 education calculation the strength of the teachers is 8,000 in the district. The details of primary schools which have been closed in the remote areas of the district is:

TALUKA THANA BULA KHAN: Girls primary schools Khaskheli Moh, Malik Safar Khan, Rafiq Gabole, Ghulam Hussain Gabole, Ghulam Mustafa Mouchi, Ali Madad Doudhur, Allah Bux Lalani, Faib Muhammad Buriro, Gul Muhammad Buriro, Hafiz Ibrahim, Wasaro, Bareejo, Jummo Darvesh, Janoo Darvesh, Muhammad Ali Buriro, Taung, Wali Dad Gabole, Moosa Gabole, Tharo Khan.

Male primary schools: Wahi Arab Khan, Khuda Bux Atalani, Ghazi Khaskheli, Arab Khaskheli, Haroon Khaskheli, Ibrahim Khaskheli, Rahim Shaheed, Ismail Khaskheli, Ali Akbar Buriro, Ahmed Hassanani.

TALUKA KOTRI: Government boys and girls primary schools Tharoo Khan Panah, Hashim Chhachhar, Khado, Akro, Allah Dino Shoro, Ali Murad Shoro, Dhani Bux Khoso, Karo Khooh, Abdul Talib Shoro, Qadam Shoro, Petaro village, Butho, Ghar Wari, Aliabad, Koreja, Haji Khan Khoso.

TALUKA SEHWAN: Primary girls and boys schools Sawan Laghari, Sagpur, Leemo Talpur, Shah Muhammad Shah, Arazi, Yousuf Jamali, Soomar Shahani, Moula Bux Rodhnani, Maro Talpur, Pati Wara Bhatti, Sadiq Sehto, Tehni, Ali Khan Rind.

TALUKA JOHI: Ghazi Khan Jamali primary girls school.

TALUKA DADU: Primary girls and boys schools, Mukhtiar Nagar, Lutuf Ali Bhand, Dhotra Panhwar, Allahyar Lund, Ghulam Muhammad Shah, Wagan Khoso, Arbab Panhwar, Sarfani Bhand, Phakka.

TALUKA KN SHAH: Primary girls and boys schools Nat Bughio, Talib Palipoto, Agan Rahoojo, Sultan Gadhi, Arwal, Hudio Khoso.

TALUKA MEHAR: Primary girls and boys schools Haji Wali Muhammad, Bahawal, Shah Ji Miani, Hussain Depar, Dubbi, Mirza Shah, Sohni Masjid, Ali Muhammad Janwari, Mothar, Rahimdad and 180 others.

The survey also revealed that 50 primary girls and boys schools in the various parts of the district are functioning without buildings since last many years. On the directives of the secretary education of Sindh, the education works department had initiated to construct new buildings of 23 primary girls and boys schools in the district in current budget.

When contacted, the EDO (Executive District Officer) Education, Muhammad Aslam Turq told this scribe that he had written to the high officials of the department and district Nazim to provide staff and furniture for the closed schools of the district. He said that due to shortage of the teaching staff these schools had been closed in the previous governments. He said that out of 263 closed schools 74 would be opened soon.

NOTICES ISSUED: Show-cause notices were issued to 10 absent education officials and their salaries were stopped by EDO Dadu on Wednesday.

According to details the EDO, Muhammad Aslam Turk, on Wednesday paid surprise visits at the office of the assistant district officer elementary Sehwan Sharif, girls middle school Thana Ahmed Khan, GSTs Tabassum Shaikh, Hameeda Solangi, government boys high schools Ameeniani, mono-technical institute Sehwan Sharif, government college commercial education Sehwan Sharif and government high school boys Daubo.

The EDO checked the “muster roll” of the staff and found absent the head master of government boys high school Ameeniani, Abdul Qadir Sahar, GST Nizamuddin, Naib Qasid Shoukat, senior clerks Manzoor Ahmed Chandio and Khuda Dino Lakho of mono-technical institute Sehwan Sharif, Azizullah Channa instructor of government college, commercial education, Sehwan Sharif, head master Shohabuddin and junior clerk Muhammad Ismail of government boys high school Daubo.