Moalims

PESHAWAR:
Up until the day two villagers decided to take matters in their own hands and start classes, the government school in Urmar Bala in the city had been abandoned.

“Children of the area were deprived of an education as the school was padlocked since 2011. So we took the suggestion of locals, we opened the school and resumed classes,” one of the two teachers, Fida Muhammad, told The Express Tribune. “Initially, there were very few students, but the count is gradually increasing and now around hundred boys and girls are enrolled here.”

Government Primary School (GPS) Shaga Kala was established for boys in 2011, but the building never served its purpose as the classes never commenced.

Furnished but unused

The two locals, who started teaching at the school, are Fida Muhammad and Rafiullah. They completed their matriculation but since they could not find a job, they decided to give back to the community and started teaching. In January, they got permission from the local who owns the land the school is built on.

“A majority of the people in the area come from a low-income background and depend on farming for a living, but they want to educate their children,” said Fida.

“The elders met the officials of the education department to discuss the school but did not receive any positive response yet.” Fida added when the elders approached their elected representatives they were assured teachers would be appointed soon but so far not a single teacher has been appointed.

“We have regular classes, but lack teaching material; there are only three books with which we teach all the students,” said the other teacher, Rafiullah. “We request the government to fulfil the requirements for the school.”

Apart from teaching English and mathematics, Rafiullah said, they “try to teach students about general knowledge and heroes of the past”.

Left in a corner

A local told The Express Tribune, the area has no other school and before the two villagers voluntarily started teaching, children had to go to school in an area three kilometres away from where
they live.

“We met an MPA to discuss our issue but he told us the education and communication and works departments have a dispute over the school, hence the issue needs to be resolved,” said Musa Khan. “The problem could not be solved in five years, and this was making our children suffer.” Musa demanded the government solve the issue and open it officially.

When contacted, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Elementary and Secondary School Director Rafiq Khattak pleaded ignorance about the school issue. He said various schools closed over disputed land but a majority of them have become operational.

“The issue of a shortage of teachers has been dealt with as we have appointed around 15,000 teachers through the National Testing Service.” However, he said, the department would take notice of the issue and investigate why it was under lock and key for years.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2015.