PESHAWAR: The Directorate of Education in the Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA) Friday announced commencing of students enrollment drive in schools from Friday.
The enrollment drive will be continued until the end of the current calendar year and during this period the directorate will ensure admission of 200,000 students in educational institutions throughout seven tribal agencies and six frontier regions. For making the drive successful, the government has offered stipends and cash prizes to talented students and position holders.
The government has already announced the provision of books and stationery to students, from primary till secondary classes, which the authorities believe is aimed at supporting the poor parents to educate their children. The drive is part of the government’s actions to ensure free and compulsory education, to all students below 16 years of age, under the Free and Compulsory Education Act 2012.
Educationist and Bacha Khan Education Foundation Director Dr Khadim Hussain, while talking to Pakistan Today, has welcomed the drive and also made several suggestions for making it successful.
He said that besides going for early reconstruction of the damaged schools by terrorists, the government needs to ensure schooling facilities within a radius of three kilometres throughout the tribal areas. Similarly, he added, schools for female students must be ensured near all villages and towns, and all schools must be equipped with facilities.
The enrollment drive was announced upon completion of summer vacations, as well as on the conclusion of repatriation of displaced families to the tribal agencies. Except for a few pockets of North Waziristan, the FATA Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) has already de-notified the Temporary Displaced Persons (TDP’s) of remaining tribal regions.
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, through Elementary and Secondary Education Directorate, offered admissions to around those 300 students who were affected by the closure of Sikh community’s private school in Peshawar Asya Gate. The Hope Rise School was established in a private building, which was sold out by its owner.
The government according to an official hand out couldn’t intervene in the disputes between management of private schools and land owners.
