The opposition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa(KP) Assembly on Tuesday criticised PTI led provincial government for instituting an unbefitting education policy due to which the literary ratio in the province was on a fast decline.
PML-N’s Parliamentary Leader Sardar Auregzeb Nalota in his calling attention notice drew the attention of the house towards the closure of the schools where enrollment was below 50 students.
He maintained that on one hand, the KP government was claiming imposition of education emergency in the province whereas, on the other hand, schools were being shut down which was tantamount to great injustice with the people of the province. He held it a conspiracy to keep the children of the poor people away from education.
Taking the floor, the Education Minister Muhammad Atif Khan told the house that primary schools within the radius of two kilometre of other primary schools were being closed. He explained that the KP government saved Rs190 million last year due to this policy. He further claimed that 34,000 school children from private schools had shifted to the government schools which was a clear sign of improvement in KP’s education system.
To a question by PML-N’s Amna Sardar, the house was informed by the education minister that hundreds of schools were damaged during 2005 devastating earthquake in Hazara division. The minister maintained that since these schools were to be constructed by Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), it had not provided funds for the reconstruction of the schools.
In reply to a question, the house was informed that there were 4920 male primary, middle, high and higher secondary schools in Hazara Division and 2558 female primary, middle, high and higher secondary.
To another question, the house was informed that as per the laid down government rules, there was 10 per cent job quota fixed for the women in all education boards of the province.
The house was informed that ERRA had completed construction of 108 schools in Abbotabad district out of 201 schools. The construction work on the remaining 93 schools was under way.
According to ERRA’s policy, construction priority was given to those schools which needed over 50 percent construction work. Therefore construction work on 33 schools was in progress while work on 60 schools was stopped for the moment.
To a question by PML-N’s Sobia Shahid, the house was informed that Rs.436, 870 stipends was given to the students in 2013-14 except in district Kohistan and Torgher. According to the policy, students from class 6th to 10th of the government schools having attendence of 80 per cent were paid Rs200 stipend which was paid after every six months through money order.
In a reply to another question, the house was told that 103 schools were approved for PK-52 constituency tehsil Ghazi Harripur district from 2008-13 which also added 625 jobs in the economy.
The question of ANP’s Syed Jafar Shah was referred to the concerning committee wherein he had asked about the ADP for new schools in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
