LANDI KOTAL: Spealcers at a ceremony here on Wednesday said that closure of government schools in tribal areas under the rationalisation policy of Fata Secretariat deprived thousands of tribal students of their right to education.

Aamir Afridi, president of Khyber Youth Forum, which had organised a talent award ceremony at the jirga hall, said on the occasion that hundreds of government schools in tribal areas were shut down under the controversial policy of rationalisation that had adversely affected the academic activities in the militancy-hit region.

He said that more than 1,500 educational institutions were targeted by militants in Fata during the last 10 years of lawlessness and militancy.

`The Fata Secretariat is yet to rebuild and reopen most of the affected schools while the education department has closed down hundreds of schools in Fata instead of reopening more schools,` he added.

Mr Afridi demanded of the Fataadditional chief secretary to immediately withdraw the controversial policy of rationalisation and start rebuilding of all the damaged schools.

He also criticised former governor of Khyber Pakhtunl(hwa for imposing a ban on new recruitment of Class-IV employees in the education department. He demanded lifting of the ban, saying hundreds of posts were vacant in the tribal areas owing to the retirement of aged employees.

Speaking on the occasion, Malakzada Nadeem Afridi said that most of the educational institutions in Fata were without basic facilities like clean drinking water, furniture, mates, windows and doors and classrooms.

He said that enrollment drive would succeed in Fata only when Fata Secretariat would provide all basic facilities to government schools in the region.

Assistant Political Agent Rahimullah Mehsud awarded certificates and trophies to students of various schools for their better performance and academic achievements.