PESHAWAR: The Fata education department has rejected a consignment of shoes, provided by an NGO for students of state-run schools in Bajaur Agency owing to its alleged inferior quality.

The directorate of information Fata said in a statement that as per a Memorandum of Understanding signed at Governor`s House in July 2011, the NGO, Poverty Eradication Initiatives (PEI), had agreed to provide 200,000 pair of good quality shoes for students of various schools in Bajaur and Khyber agencies. Contrary to the agreement, the first tranche of 4,000 shoes provided by the NGO for students in Bajaur agency was found of low qual`rty, it said.

Officials of the education department in Bajaur complained to Fata Secretariat that students and teachers refused to accept the shoes. According to PEl, cost of a single pair of shoes was $45.The education department stopped distribution of shoes among the students.