LANDI KOTAL: The Kohi Sher Haider Degree College in Bara was reopened on Tuesday after remaining closed for seven years owing to militancy and military operations in the region.

Hundreds of students from different parts of Bara attended classes at the college while a large number of candidates submitted their applications for fresh admission.

Local elders and workers of various political parties and civil society members were also present on the college premises while the students` wing of Awami National Party organised a rally to celebrate the reopening of the only degree college in Bara subdivision.

Authorities had to close down Kohi Sher Haider Degree College, situated in Malakdinlchel area, along with hundreds of other educational institutions after launch of military operation in most parts of Bara against outlawed groups in September 2009.Militants had during the last six years completely destroyed nearly 100 schools, both for boys and girls, while 50 others were partially damaged in incidents of terrorism.

Luckily the main building of Kohi Sher Haider Degree College remained intact as militants had spared it during the time of insurgency. Unidentified men, however, took away the entire paraphernalia of the college as Khasadar and Levies personnel posted at the building for security had abandoned their duty since long.

Officials of the education department had in the meantime arranged for intermediate and degree classes for students of the college at a private building in Pishtakhara locality of Peshawar, situated near the old Bara Bazaar.

The Directorate of Education Fata had gradually started reopening of educational institutions in Bara after the start of return of displaced families to their respective areas in March last year.

The directorate in the meantime provided necessary equipment and furniture to the col-lege and later announced its reopening after the completion of summer vacations.

Abid Afridi, a student of the college, welcomed reopening of the college after seven years but regretted the limited number of seats for first year students. The college administration had announced fresh admissions for only 180 vacant seats while Abid Afridi argued that nearly 3000 candidates were awaiting admission in new classes.

Fazal Amin, president of a Students Welfare Organisation in Bara, said that reopening of the college would help the students to resume their studies in their own area. He also demanded increase in the number of seats for new students as people of Bara had badly suffered during the last decade of militancy and military operations.

Hashim Khan, a Malakdinkhel elder, hoped that reopening of the college would encourage those displaced people, who had enrolled their children in educational institutions in different cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to come back to Bara.