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Seven government girls primary schools in the Bara subdivision of Khyber district have been forced to shut down due to an acute shortage of teachers and worsening security conditions, highlighting a deepening crisis in Pakistans public education system.
101 teaching positions and 34 non-teaching posts remain vacant across the subdivision, as reported by The Express Tribune. According to The Express Tribune, data from the Sub-Divisional Education Office (Female), Bara, shows that only 209 of the 310 sanctioned teaching positions are currently occupied. Of these, 64 Primary School Teacher (PST) and 37 Primary School Head Teacher (PSHT) posts remain unfilled. Meanwhile, 236 of the 270 sanctioned non-teaching positions have been filled, leaving 34 vacancies. Four schools have been closed because of insufficient teaching staff, while three others remain shut due to law-and-order concerns. The affected institutions include Government Girls Primary Schools in Akakhel, Bargambar Khel, Tarkhuks and Khuga Jan, alongside three schools in Tirah Valley. The closures have deprived local girls of access to education, while understaffing continues to undermine learning in operational institutions. Sub-Divisional Education Officer (Female) Shakeela Hussain said the growing number of students has further intensified the problem. Several schools have only one or two permanent female teachers despite enrolments reaching 500 students. Through Parent-Teacher Councils, 282 local candidates have been selected for 300 temporary teaching positions. Hussain said permanent recruitment through the Educational Testing and Evaluation Agency remains necessary, adding that authorities have also sought 333 additional temporary teachers. The subdivision currently has around 24,500 girl students, as cited by The Express Tribune. The education department is also struggling with inadequate administrative facilities. Its temporary office operates from a single room inside the Bara Tehsil Building and lacks even a separate washroom for women. Residents have demanded that the office be shifted to the municipal building, as reported by The Express Tribune. (ANI)
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