LOWER DIR: More than 300 girl students at a government high school in Samarbagh tehsil are struggling to continue their education due to shortage of classrooms, teachers and other basic facilities, forcing many to attend classes in the open.
The government girls high school in Badin currently caters to around 310 students from grade six to matriculation level, but has only three classrooms out of six available for academic activities.
Residents led by a social activist, Imran Shahikhel, told Dawn on Saturday that the school served not only students from Badin but also from several neighbouring villages, including Cham, Khazana, Chamartalai, Gandheri, Shuntala and Ajabai.
They said the school’s building was damaged in an earthquake and developed cracks, prompting authorities to demolish the structure.
Residents said they had expected the government to construct a new and fully functional school building after the demolition. However, only three classrooms were later built under a development project, while enrolment continued to increase and has now reached 310 students.
The shortage of classrooms has forced many students to study in overcrowded conditions, while others attend classesin open spaces exposed to harsh weather.Elders and parents said the school was facing a shortage of science teachers, affecting the studies of students.
They added that inadequate and damaged furniture further compounded students’ difficulties. The school, they said, lacked sufficient washrooms and access to clean drinking water.
Residents demanded the construction of at least 15 additional classrooms to accommodate the growing number of students. They called for establishing a head teacher’s office, a clerical office, a library, a science laboratory, a staff room and an examination hall.
School officials said they had repeatedly informed the relevant authorities about the situation and had submitted several requests to the district education office and monitoring teams, but no progress had been made so far.
When contacted, a senior official of the education department in Lower Dir disputed the claims that the school had three classrooms. The official said that according to the school’s annual self-reporting data, the institution had six classrooms. He said the school was equipped with water supply, electricity and a solar power system, while four toilets and a boundary wall were also available.
The official, however, acknowledged the need for improved infrastructure and said a written request had been forwarded to higher authorities for the reconstruction of the s chool building.