While the interior minister is busy managing the internal security of the country, the residents of his constituency are desperately trying to call his attention to the state of education in the area.
Government Anwarul Islam Middle School in Kamalabad, Rawalpindi, which falls in the constituency of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, is one such school. Around 400 students are studying here without the most basic of facilities such as furniture, and are compelled to take classes sitting on the floor in biting chill.
With damaged walls and a leaky ceiling, the school building could easily pass for a haunted house and seems structurally unsound to say the least.
There is no furniture at all in four classrooms, while in the two other classrooms, students must settle for shabby rugs, or for the lucky few, broken desks.
Most students, both girls and boys, are from underprivileged families and lack the finances to study at a better school.
The conditions of other government schools in surrounding areas including Government Primary School Dhoke Ziarat, Primary School Abadi Number-1, Tench Bhatta, and the Primary School Tulsa are no better that of Anwarul Islam.
Interestingly, these primary schools are operating in rented buildings, and in case of delays in the release of funds from the education department, teachers have to go about arranging the money to clear the rents themselves.
“Due to a shortage of funds, we are compelled to pay rent of the schools from our salaries,” said Zahir Shah, headmaster of Anwarul Islam Middle School.
Shah said that he has taken up the issue with the authorities time and again, but to no avail.
While talking to The Express Tribune, students at Anwarul Islam urged the Punjab government and the education department to at least provide them with furniture and other basic amenities.
“I want to become a doctor, but lack of facilities here makes me wonder why I must come to this school. My parents force me to attend,” said Sajida Bibi, an eighth grader. She said that due to biting cold in the morning, she never wants to sit in the classroom. Teachers have to force her go inside.
Syed Ishfaq, a teacher in the school, said Bibi was one of their most gifted students and could achieve great things if she was given an environment cohesive to education.
“Bibi is a brilliant student with God-gifted abilities.”
We have no furniture and it is really unbearable to sit on the floor especially in the morning these days, said second grader Ghulam Abbas.
“Currently, we have six classrooms, but only two have furniture. Even that was purchased from the student fund,” headmaster Shah said while talking about the shortage of proper seating.
He said that every month they meet most of the school expenditure from the student fund.
The school also lacks gas supply, with the school peon seen sitting in the front yard of the school preparing tea for teachers on firewood.
Education Executive District Officer (EDO) Qazi Zahoorul Haq confirmed that many schools in the area were facing shortages of furniture. He claimed that funds have been released and all schools would be provided with furniture in the next few months.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2014.