“We were happily getting education in a favorable environment. Following destruction of our school; we are suffering from acute problems of basic infrastructure, furniture, safe drinking water and others. The absences of boundary wall and taut for sitting are just adding to our woes and miseries and we cannot study with concentrate due to noise made by people and moving vehicles around us. We are forced to study under the open sky”. These words were uttered by a little student of Government Primary School Dhagkala Faiq village of Bajaur Agency, which had been blown up by militants. For more information, Please listen the audio of program and read the translation. Shahabuddin: Prof. Shahan Shah, education was the most neglected sector in all tribal agencies, turmoil and conflicts have further influenced it by destruction of educational institutions. What about rehabilitation of these schools? Prof. Shahan Shah: We know it is too hard to work in insecure and uncertain conditions of FATA. Hundreds of education institutions have been destroyed in FATA (Federal Administered Tribal Areas) for rehabilitation of which a project CRB is initiated to start repair work of these damaged institutions at low scale. Initially we have planned to build small camps from fiber glass material to continue educational activities in conflict zones. The cost on these camps will be low. Under ADP (Annual Development Program), rehabilitation work on damaged school infrastructure is continued. Shahabuddin: Mr. Rahim Shah, what is state of education in Mohmand in particular and Fata in general? Rahim Shah: In Fata worse law and order situation is major hurdle in the way of education development. I don’t agree with what Prof. Shahan Shah has said earlier that rehabilitation of destroyed schools is continued with full swing. In Pandialai Tehsil, Mohmand Agency, lone high school serving thousands of children was blasted, which could not rehabilitate despite repeated requests to concerned authorities. The institution was rebuilt by elders and all relevant stakeholders. Literacy rate is not rising in the agency as elders do not know the importance of education. Mostly parents involve their children in child labor to earn livelihood for them, they cannot afford their education expenses. For instance I am doing master from Peshawar University; my parents are unable to bear my education expenses. Shahabuddin: why are the reasons behind destruction of learning institutions in Fata and the province? Rahim Shah: Many schools are made in specific locations on the desire of tribal Maliks. They are legally bound to safeguard them accompanied by parents and teachers. These influential people do not want the children of poor to get education. They are scare that they will lose their social and political hold in case the children of oppressed and subjugated segments of the society access to education as it will bring awareness among them. Prof. Shahan Shah: In addition to this, I would say I visited Gilgit Baldistan last year where community members told me that they themselves provide security to education institutions by having sleepless nights so as to secure the future of their children. In Khyber and Bajaur Agency, for protection of schools, Jirgas are formed and they are being motivated. These Talimi Islahi Jirga (education improvement body) involve parents and community members, who will be given funds by the authority to spend them for improvement of learning environment. Main plight with our people is that, we ensure all facilities .i.e. UPS and Generator to mosques and keep them clean and neat, but what about schools? These are being destroyed, but none of the political or religious figures or general public comes on roads to protest against it. I have personally seen such schools in Fata, which were turned into cattle farms. As far as Mr. Rahim concern that a high school was repaired in Tehsil Pandialai on self-help efforts, I would say Fata Secretariat has a procedure to follow for approval of project, it is a lengthy process i.e. the proposal is first sent to finance department of FATA secretariat hence it is sent to ministry of SAFRON that takes months to materialize things. Due to these reasons, we have involved social sector or NGOs to launch low level development enterprises in education sector. After five years of break, 2616 teaching posts have been sanctioned only for Fata. “Report”: The students of Government Primary School Dhagkala Faiq village are forced to acquire education in absence of basic infrastructure and facilities. Without taut sitting on ground these children are compelled to study in adverse environment. After destruction of the institution by miscreants, students are studying under open sky for long time. Student: “the school has no boundary wall and one can see pedestrians and moving cars, which is badly disturbing our studies. The windows and doors inside the school are also in broken condition. Moreover the chalkboard is in poor condition, we can’t see written material on it. The boundary wall should be constructed at the earliest. When the building was not bombed, we had all basic requirements”. Student: “Apart from boundary wall, neither fans are installed nor electricity is available owing to which we cannot study in a good manner. A hand pump was installed, which is also out of order. We have to fetch water from a distance. The pump is not functioning properly to fulfill requirement of clean drinking water. Teachers are also few as compare to strength of students”. Reporter: two instructors are assigned to educate and train more than 400 students in the institution. In this regard a PTC qualified teacher Hayat Khan says as follows: Teacher: “we are unable to deal with crowded students. These students scuffle with each other all the time and we have to engage in ending up their scuffles. There is lack of conducive or favorable environment due to missing of basic infrastructure and teaching staff consequently these are the children, who are suffering the most. We have to close classes till 12pm. It is like wastage of time for both teachers and students”. Teacher 2: “The school must be reconstructed at war-footing so as to educate the future builders in a good manner. Our demand is to appoint atleast two more teachers and to construct additional rooms, boundary wall, and renovation of building, restoration of electricity and repair of hand pump. Without these facilities, we are unable to deliver”. Afzal Khan Mohmand CRSS Bajaur Ayaz caller 1: I am from Peshawar, my question is from Prof. Shahan shah, that I have done master. I am applying for M. Phil for which I have to appear in gate tests. These tests contain subjects, which I had not read in University or college. This has lead to worry and confusion among other students like me. Ayesha caller 2: I am from Jamrud, Khyber Agency, the environment is not favorable for girl’s education in FATA. In Jamrud, lone girl’s degree college is suffering from acute problem of electricity and potable water. We take clean water in bottles from homes. Secondly merit is not being observed in provision of scholarship, I am deprived of scholarship though federal government claimed of rewarding scholarship to all tribal students? Prof. Shahan Shah: All students of FATA are entitled for scholarship. We have doubled this scholarship for all Fata students. At post graduate level, assistance fund is Rs. 6000 per student while for inter and degree college students it is about Rs. 5000. From next fiscal year, every female student of tribal belt from 6th to 10th grade would also receive Rs. 200/- on monthly basis. Secondly solar energy systems are being distributed among the students under a scholarship funded by Punjab government. The educational institutions of Jamrud are well equipped as compare to other institutions of FATA. She (caller) can contact our department to register her complaint on following number: 091-9210166 As per first caller’s question, I would say gate tests are HEC (Higher Education Commission) requirement to judge the competency of a student in general knowledge. As for PhD and M. Phil, general knowledge is must. Shahabuddin: Prof. Shahan Shah, what would you say about the report, we listened earlier? Prof. Shahan Shah: It is a main problem that some schools are overcrowded from students whereas in some institutions, teachers are over recruited. This was a result of numbers of surveys conducted in Fata. Rationalization is so drastic in tribal belt that is causing of many problems. We cannot transfer a teacher from one agency to another. Similarly in case a class has more than 100 students, concerned school master is liable to inform Agency Education Officer, who will further refer the case to FATA Secretariat for sanction of more teaching staff. Spin Gul caller 3: I am from Machinai, Mohmand Agency, new Minister Education says that they want to reform the education system. I am a teacher and I have undertaken a research with the help of mine students who are in 3rd grade. The research is about teaching methodology and education that can benefit both teachers and students. The research work of these students is compatible to Metric and Intermediate level students. I want to share it with education department and it may take benefit from research. Prof. Shahan Shah: Spin Gul should meet with us at our office; we will definitely consider their research. Husain Afridi caller 4: I am from Khyber Agency, I do not agree with Prof. Shahan Shah that all students are being rewarded with scholarship. My daughter is studying in college and she didn’t receive it even a single time. The students of FATA do face problem of local and non-local. A tribal student might secure excellent marks, but he/she is not legible for admission in all higher institutions. I personally met with Governor KP and requested him to increase quota for tribal students in all state-run colleges and universities of the province as still 50 years old quota system is implemented, which is unfair with tribal students. I suggested 10 seats for each agency and 5 seats for each semi tribal area in all departments of universities of the province, but still no action is taken in this regard. Thirdly without peace, establishment of new schools is worthless. “Report”: In 2013 general elections, voters completely rejected former elected members of National and Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and they faced poor results. Political analysts are of the view that previous government failed to meet the expectations of people. An inhabitant from North Waziristan Asghar Khan said that none of the government in the history of Pakistan resolved key issues of Fata. Waziristan Inhabitant: “during regime of late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, clans were allowed to visit to Emirates that solved the issue of joblessness of many clans. The fate of many poor people has turned due to continuous struggle and hard work. Problems like joblessness, education, health, sanitary and potable water etc. has made people accustomed and thus the order of the day”. Waziristan inhabitant 2: “volatile conditions .i.e. terrorism, violence and economic constraints have made our life miserable. The dwellers are forced to scatter in different parts of the country i.e. Tank, DIK, and Karachi, but there too their problems could not solve”. Reporter: Lack of education is stated to be one of the major reasons for lawlessness and economic problem as most of the agency people are illiterate. Education is considered to be the backbone for country’s development and to lead a better lifestyle. Agency’s people mainly depend on agriculture lands, but here too for restoration of affected farmers or to protect these plains from flooding, no solid steps are taken by the government. It can do to distribute seeds and fertilizers among poor growers to boost up yield production. Inhabitant: “Our lands are exposed to flooding during summer, in case of floods, these lands are completely washed away damaging our standing crops. During British time, safety measures were taken to safe our lands from future flooding, since then no government of the country showed interest to assist us in true sense. Political Administration does not budging an inch to address our concerns”. Reporter: Fata and six Frontier Regions (FRs) are spread over 7000 square kilometer. Except Orakzai Agency, all tribal agencies share border with war-torn Afghanistan. After 2002, when situation started turning worse in the region, the inhabitants flooded to other localities to save their lives. Nasib Wazir CRSS DIK Shahabuddin: Mr. Rahim, the state of peace is comparatively better now, what are major obstacles in the way of education in Fata? Rahim Shah: The state of law and order might whatsoever in agencies, female students with absentee of teachers is one of the crucial problem. I have visited Ghalanai headquarter for thrice and submitted application against female teachers, who do not take classes in Girl’s primary school Pandialai or they do not come in time. On the inspection day, these teachers become available in school. Some of the female teachers perform duty on rotation and they have hired their substitutes. This all is happening under the patronage of Agency development officer. I would like to draw the attention of Prof. Shahan Shah, that school buildings are constructed in only those areas, where Maliks reside otherwise children of poor remain deprive of basic education. Shahabuddin: Prof. Shahan Shah, Governor announced to take strict disciplinary action against those educators, who do not come to schools and would terminate them from their jobs. What is the role of education department in this regard? Prof. Shahan Shah: our monitoring team in supervision of deputy director pay surprise visit to any school in Fata, while Fata secretariat monitoring directorate even don’t aware us about their raid in colleges and schools. Recently we took action against whole staff of Government Degree College Arakhel and shelved their three months salaries. As we are not living in law governing society therefore cannot terminate such teachers on spot. Main problem is that in agencies most of the teachers belong to districts. Local female instructors should be appointed. Under new policy, we have recruited 2400 teachers who are mostly locals and further 2000 will be appointed. It is glad to know that among the appointed female teachers, several are subject specialists, and who are local. In Dara Adam Khel, FATA University is being established sheer for tribal students and this will solve their issue of quota. Its Vice Chancellor has already chosen.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 11:01:16 +0000
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