Staff demanded for a school built in 2007 in Landikotal

Landikotal resident observed token strike.

By Ashrafuddin Pirzada

 LANDIKOTAL: An elderly Landikotal resident on Tuesday observed a token strike and asked the Chief Of Army Staff(COAS) and Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to provide staff to the school built in 2007 in Tabay area of Bazaar Zakhakhel in Landikotal.

Haji Laiq Jan Afridi, 65, was holding a banner asking Pakistan army and Fata education department officials to address his genuine problem and secure the future of hundreds of out-of-school children in his village Tabay area in Landikotal.

The local elder said the government Primary School Laiq Jan Killay” was built under the Khushal Programme so that the militancy hit areas could be compensated by educating tribal children.

Afridi said work on the school’s building was started in 2002 which was completed in 2007. He added that Col, Zafar of 7-Punjab Regiment inaugurated the school in 2007. He said militants bombed many schools in his area but he used all his efforts and protected the school’s building for 10 years.

The elderly man said he submitted many applications at the director education Fata and other concerned offices but they did not provide staff to the school. He said more than five hundred children of his village were out-of-school who could be benefited if staff was provided to the school.

“ I gave my own property for the school where my grandchildren and children of my village could be provided education at the door-step but no official yet visit the school which is without staff for the last 10 years”, Laiq Jan complained.

The Tabaiy resident regretted that millions of rupees were spent on the school’s building but it got cracks and some other weather damages as he could not afford to do repair work from his own resources.

Laiq Jan Afridi appealed from the Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Iqbal Zafar Jhagra to take notice of the officials’ ignorance and provide staff to the school and save future of innocent children in his village.  

When contacted an official of the Khyber Agency education office said that posts for teaching and none-teaching staff were not sanctioned to the school. He said when high-ups direct them they would hire staff immediately.