LAKKI MARWAT: At least 130 of 290 government schools for girls have been made functional in South Waziristan district to facilitate local students, according to an official.

Ghulam Fatima, the district education officer of South Waziristan, told Dawn that the schools had been non-functional for a long time. She said that after assuming charge of her office, she took it as a challenge and with the support of tribal elders made all such schools operational.

She said that more than 8,000 students were enrolled in the state-run schools in the current year. She pledged to curb absenteeism and ensure teaching and learning activities in public sector schools in the district. “The heads of schools involved in keeping the campuses closed on one pretext or other will face stern departmental action,” she added.

Ms Fatima said that more than Rs21 million was deducted from the salaries of truant employees. “About 30 employees were removed or forced retired. We have also demoted two officials and stopped annual increments of 246 staffers on disciplinary grounds to control absenteeism,” she added.

She asked tribal people to send their daughters to schools as getting education was their fundamental right.

Source: Dawn