Parents in Upper Dir village seek girls’ school upgrading

PESHAWAR: The elders from the far-flung and neglected area in Barikot Union Council in Upper Dir district have complained that despite clear-cut directives by the chief minister to upgrade the Government Girls Middle School, hundreds of girl students would not be able to get admission to the ninth and 10 grades this year.

Talking to The News, the elders, including Malik Abdur Rashid, Malik Shahi Sultan, Malik Mohammad Amin and Malik Mohammad Nageen recalled that Girls Middle School was established in Barikot in 2004, which was the only first middle school within 48 kilometres. The people in this hilly areas continued educating girls even after the 2010 flood devastation.

Later, a new building was constructed but still the admission for ninth and 10 classes could not be started. They said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government constructed additional rooms and boundary wall and also appointed female teachers but could not initiate classes for ninth and 10 classes for the girl students.

A local Malik Malik Azam Shah had offered land for the construction of high school for educating girls after passing their Middle classes.

On the insistence of the local people, they said the local MPA, Malik Bacha Saleh, had taken up the issue with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan. They thanked the chief minister for directing the secretary education to make arrangements for the education of girl students but said it was astonishing to note that nothing practical was done as yet.

The Maliks and local residents said the girls students in their area either quit education or get admission to the local religious seminaries as the Government Girls High School in Sheringal was 48 kilometres away and the poor parents could not afford sending daughters to the far-flung area.

A local Hizbullah Khan said his daughter was studying in eighth class and he was worried about her further education. He said the PTI government had appointed a large number of female teachers but could not initiate ninth and 10 classes for their daughters.

Mohammad Qasim, a journalist, said that most parents could not afford to pay Rs200 daily to transport children to Sheringal for education. This problem, he said, could be solved if the government launches classes for girls who had passed the 8th grade.