ike the lack of quality education and teachers, the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE)-run model schools are short of information technology (IT) labs and teachers.

In the budget 2014-15, the government had allocated Rs200 million for establishing IT and science labs in high schools where labs were required. However, the project could not see light of the day.

`As soon as the PC-1 is approved, we will start work on the project,` said an official of the FDE who requested not be named.

On the other hand, the current fiscal year is about to end and it is feared that the funds will lapse. On the other hand, a large number of schools are still without IT labs and teachers. `Though IT is a compulsory subject, unfortunately dozens of schools have no IT labs, creating problems for the students. But we are making efforts to set up labs in every school,` claimed a senior official of the FDE, who also requested not be named.

On the other hand, 89 employees 24 computer teachers, 15 lab in-charges and 50 lab attendants hired under a number of IT projects are waiting for their salaries for the five months.

Sources said the delay in the payment of the salaries had forced the employees to teach halfheartedly. `Whenever we visit the FDE, officials there inform us that our files have been moved to the planning commission. Under such circumstances, how can we teach affectively?` one of the teachers told Dawn.

In 2011, the then government without improving the infrastructure upgraded all the 422 federal government schools to model level. But so far, several models schools are facing the shortage of teachers, furniture and classrooms.