Parents not sending kids to school to be held in Mohmand

GHALLANAI: The political administration on Wednesday said that parents of the out-of-school children in Mohmand Agency would be arrested.

The Fata Secretariat had started enrollment campaign from April 8 that would continue till May 31 under the education emergency announced by the governor. Several functions and walks were being held in Mohmand Agency to create awareness among parents about the importance of education.

However, teachers have expressed concern over the inadequacy of the steps taken for improving the literacy rate in Fata.Talking to The News, representatives of teachers, including Marjan Ali and Haji Mushtaq and others said that teachers were performing duties in the militancy-affected tribal region despite threats.

They lamented that these teachers were neither provided salaries on a par with other teachers in the settled areas nor were they upgraded.The representatives said that tribal teachers were assured by officials that their just demands would be accepted.

However, they said that the promises were yet to be honoured.Parents of several students also criticised the government for not providing scholarships to the position-holder students in government schools in Fata.

One Azmat Khan said that parents were sending their children to schools despite poor financial conditions, adding that tribal youth couldn’t find employment after completing education.Local elders said that 124 of 550 schools in Mohmand Agency were destroyed and were yet to be rebuilt.

They said that around 100 schools were closed due to the rationalization policy. Meanwhile, the political administration warned parents of facing jail term for not sending children to schools.