SWABI, Sept 6: All Pakistan Teachers Association (ATA) while criticising robberies at three schools during the summer vacations had demanded that the government should appoint watchmen to guard 998 primary school buildings in the district.

Abdul Latif, district president ATA, told a meeting of teachers here on Saturday that no arrangements had been made to guard the primary school buildings and valuable record there. He said that all the 411 girls’ primary schools and 587 boys’ primary schools were without watchmen.

Other speakers said that the theft incidents had reached an alarming proportion in the district and the education department officials were informed by the heads of the primary schools that there was a grave danger to the government institutions.

They said that the Government Primary School Mantani Changan at Tordher Union Council was looted and the thieves took away the main entrance gate, water pump and furniture of the school.

After the opening of the school on September 1, the teaching staff is facing difficulties in accommodating the students.

Similarly, the bandits took away fans, furniture and other valuables from primary schools in Pirtab and Salim Khan, they said. Similar reports were also received from some other parts of the district.

They said that they had brought the problem to the notice of the lawmakers and the district government, but no one was ready to listen. “We have no authority to create and fill up the posts. Gone are the days, when the class-IV employees were appointed by the headmasters and head teachers,” said Mr Latif.

They said that that the education department had advertised 110 class-IV posts in which more than half were for watchmen. The department they said had planned to conduct interviews on August 16, but the district nazim cancelled the process due to his ‘rivalry’ with the Awami National Party lawmakers.

TEST/ INTERVIEWS CANCELLED: The test and interviews for the posts of secretaries of 15 union councils were cancelled by District Nazim Shahram Khan, while declaring that he was not taken into confidence before the posts were being advertised.

Mr Shahram told journalists on Saturday that the posts were advertised by the assistant coordination officer (ACO) on the directives of the Awami National Party ministers and lawmakers. The last date for the submission of applications was August 30. The test was scheduled to be held on September 8 and interviews were to be conducted on September 15.