RAWALPINDI - A girls school of a village of the district is falling victim of political rivalry while students and poor villagers wait for appointment of female teachers for continuation of education, The Nation learnt on Saturday.
The Government Primary School of village Nikku, Tehsil Taxila was established in 1901 and after 117 years, it was upgraded to Government Girls Elementary School in 2018 for the facility of girls of the mentioned and nearby eight villages. Majority of girls from underprivileged background were unable to continue their education after primary level due to non-availability of girls school in area and other social circumstances.
However, though school was upgraded, extra rooms were constructed, but appointment of teachers was halted when general polls were held in 2018.
Villagers who campaigned for years for up-gradation of this school believes that local politics has dented their efforts and appointment of teachers is not being proceeded by the education department of Punjab government.
They said that Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Education of the district Muhammad Azam Kashif also picked his side that not only vocally criticises previous government set-up, but also takes breakfasts with local Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) politicians violating code of conduct of the government servant rules.
“Nikku was amongst two villages from eight of the union council Labb Thatthu, from where former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan won against now sitting minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan,” said Shahid Awan, an elder villager.
He believes that all efforts of up-gradation of the schools are deliberately being failed now as the school was upgraded in the era of previous government of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N).
Shahid said that more than a year has passed that members of School Management Committee (SMC) is running behind the bureaucracy and education department for appointment of teachers but no action has been taken.
Villagers said that CEO paid his visit to school on Tuesday this week and instead of solving the pending matters started a political speech and announced disbanding the SMC declaring it corrupt.
A local Mohammad Manzoor said that the CEO while standing outside school abused former interior minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan and threatened SMC of dire consequences.
Shahid Awan said that CEO has the authority of disbanding SMC and now it is handed over to PTI backed group who wanted influence on school and future appointments.
Talking to The Nation, CEO Muhammad Azam Kashif denied his political speech during his school visit and only inquired the alleged irregularity in the expansion of the school building.
“I am custodian of government I was not political and did not have meals also,” he claimed.
CEO Muhammad Azam Kashif admitted that he disbanded the SMC and has marked an inquiry also on alleged irregularity in construction of school building.
He also said that request for appointment of teachers has been sent to education department at Lahore and within a month the vacant posts will be filled.