SHANGLA: The residents of Ranzro village in Chakesar tehsil here have demanded of the provincial government to order completion of the lone government primary school for boys which has been left incomplete by the contractor since 2005.

`Our village has been kept deprived of the basic right of education in this modern era,` Ziaur Rehman, a local, lamented while talking to Dawn on Sunday.

Fazal Rabi, another resident, said the nearest school in the area was in Khadang area which was far away from their village and they could not risk sending their children to the school in the mountainous areas.

He said the provincial government was chanting slogans of imposing education and health emergency but it had failed toensure provision of education to their 700 children despite staging numerous demonstrations.

Kabir Ali, a fourth grader, said he lived with his father`s relatives away f rom his house to avail of the school facility as his own village lacked school.

The student demanded of the chief minister to ensure earlycompletion of the school building.

Shaukat Ali, the contractor, told Dawn he had taken contract of theschoolin2005atRs500,000, which was too low, forcing him to leave the work halfway.

The contractor, who is also the convener of the Alpuri tehsil council, said if the governmentreleased more funds, he would resume work on the project.

When contacted, district education officer for planning and development Aurangzeb Khan told Dawn that the school case was repeatedly submitted to the authorities concerned, but to no avail.

BODY FORMED: The district schoolteachers association formed a body on Sunday and elected Abdul Haq from Chakesar as its president.

The decision was made at a meeting held in government sentential model school, Alpuri, where teachers from different parts of Shangla were present.

The teachers also elected Haji Nawab as senior vice president, Mohammad Rafiq vice president, Misbahul Islam general secretary, Fakhrul Abrar joint secretary, Gul Zaman secretary finance and Naseer Ansari secretary information.