Battagram MPA accused of meddling in Education dept

BATTAGRAM: Allegations of political intervention in the Education Department have initiated a wave of anxiety in Battagram, where local Members Provincial Assembly (MPA) Taj Muhammad Khan Tarand has been accused of interfering in the affairs of Education Department.

The district administration and the District Education Officer are also facing criticism for reportedly facilitating controversial acts, particularly the transfer of teachers from a number of government primary schools. As per information received from local education activists, Government Primary School Kamala has been rendered dysfunctional after both of its two teachers were transferred, leaving 80 students without a teacher.

At Government Primary School Kocha, one of the three teachers was transferred and another was on medical leave, leaving a single teacher in charge of almost 100 students.Government Primary School Ajlu has been severely affected, with two out of three teachers axed and only one left for 120 children. Government Primary School Kanshai has only one teacher for 100 children after one of the two was transferred.

One Rehmatullah said, “Our kids now sit idle in vacant classrooms or remain at home.At Kocha, Sadiqa Bibi, a mother of three, was also wondering how a single teacher could handle the whole school. “This isn’t education. It is negligence,” she complained.

Local people in Ajlu said that transfers were politically driven. “Education is being sacrificed for political patronage. What kind of future are we bestowing upon our children?” asked one Muhammad Ismail.

Another local, Ayaz Khan said, “If the government cannot guarantee basic education, what’s the use of their development promise?”Former candidate for National Assembly Saeed Ahmad called the transfers a misuse of authority.

“It is undermining the future of the entire generation. I urge the provincial government to intervene,” he stated.Efforts were made to seek comments from MPA Taj Muhammad Khan Tarand, District Education Officer Amir-ur-Rehman and Deputy Commissioner, Battagram, Asif Ali but to no avail.