SHANGLA: Several government schools for girls in farnung areas here have been closed for a long time due to the reluctance of female teachers for appointment, officials say.

According to them, authorities have been formally requested to appoint male teachers to these schools, but no action hasbeentaken sofar.

The officials said the education department had deducted salaries and acted against teachers who were unwilling to take classes in schools they were posted to.

Sherzai, a resident of Dunai, told Dawn that the only primary school in the area had been closed for several months as there was no teacher. He said the teachers either got themselves transferred using contactsorjustleftnevertoreturn.

`Our village has a population of over 3,000, and this is the only girls` primary school for the poor community. We have submitted applications to the district female education department many times, but the school has yet to be made functional,` he said.

Nisar Ahmad, a local village council nazim, said that at one point, over 200 students were enrolled in the girls` primary school, but after the teachershortage emerged, the number dropped to 70.

He said most girls in the area had quit formal education due to the unavailability of teachers and the lack ofinterest on part of the education department.

Mr Ahmad said the female education officer had repeatedly asked SDOs and teachers to ensure presence in schools.

Parveen Rehman, the dis-trict education officer, told Dawn that she had been striving to make all schools operational.

She said teachers from other villages were not ready to serve in those distant areas.

`I even withdrew appointment orders for some teachers and held meetings to request the appointment of male teachers in those schools,` she said.The DEO said the issue had been there for a long time, negatively affecting the children`s learning.

`While there is a lack of local teachers, those from outside the union councils are unwilling to be appointed in these areas because of the distance and lack of accommodation for female staff,` she said.

HOUSE COLLAPSED: Ahouse collapsed in the Jabba area of Dandai in Bisham tehsil due to a landslide the other day.

However, the family remained safe, a resident said.

He said two rooms were destroyed and the other rooms were damaged due to a landslide and flash floods.

The residents demanded financial assistance for the poor family.