Govt urged to construct girls high schools in Kurram

By Anwar Shah

SADDA: 05 July: Getting higher education for most of the girl students from Bagan, Mandori and Chaparay areas of LowerKurram Agency is a distant dream. This is not because of cultural and social taboos or poverty but the negligence of the government which has not built a single high school in the said villages yet.

Talking to TNN, the local girl students said that they have keen interest and support of their parents to continue their education beyond grade eight but theabsence of high school makes it extremely difficult for them.

FahadJamil,a sixth grade  student at Mandori middle school, is disappointed by the lack of higher education facilities in her village” We’ve up to middle level school in our area. After finishing the middle school, the female studentsfrom my village are compelled to discontinue their studies owing to the non-availability of high school”.

According to officials of education department, Lower Kurram Agency has 31 primary, 3 middle and two high schools for girls of an estimated population of 13,0000. The two high schools are located in Alizai and Sadda areas of the Lower Kurram Agency.

On completion of their education at Manadani middle school, the students are supposed to take admission in the nearest Alizai High school which is 12 kilometer far from Mandani village. “Keeping in view the poor transportation and tribal traditions restricting women mobility,the high school is too far from my house.” said Jamil.

Madina is a grade seven student from Baganarea. She says that her village has a middle school but for higher studies they need to go to Alizai High school some 6 kilometers away from her house. She said “we have a large area, but there is no high school in it. This is why local girls cannot continue their studies beyond grade eight.”

FahadJamil and Madina demanded of the government to establish high schools in their areas in order to provide higher education opportunities to girl students.

Islam Gul a social activist from Paraaw area in Lower Kurram Agency said that every year an estimated 100 girl students enrolled inthree middle schools in Bagan, Mandori and Chaparay areas pass grade eight. However majority of them are unable to continue their education due to absence of high school in their area, he said and added very few of them continue their education by taking private exams.  He said that the issue of this middle school up gradation had been brought into the notice of Diretor Education Fata but to no avail.

Meanwhile, Agency Education Officer Jadoon Khan said a PC-IV has been submitted in the office of Education Directorate Fata for approval of establishing high sections in the said middle schools. He said that political administration would be approached soon to hire additional teachers to teach in the proposed high schools.