SHANGLA: The chief minister secretariat has directed the education department to appoint male teachers to the girls schools in far-flung areas of Shangla to make them functional.

According to district education department, 24 girls` primary schools, located in hilly areas of Shangla, have long been nonfunctional due to multiple challenges faced by women teachers, including a lack of accommodation, inaccessible areas and security concerns.

In 2016, district education officer (women) Parveen Rehman had recommended appointing male teachers to these girls schools as shortage of teachers and absence of local teachers in remote areas had rendered these institutions non-functional. However, she said her proposal was not given consideration until recently when it was discussed at a meeting.

Former provincial minister Shaukat Yousafzai told Dawn that the meeting was called on January 9 after he requested the chief minister to implement the DEO`s propo sal to reopen the girls` primary schools in remote areas.

According to the minutes of the meeting, women teachers were unable to perform their duties in high-altitude areas, wherethey lacked accommodation and security arrangements.

Ms Parveen Rehman informed the meeting about the challenges faced by women teachers in hilly areas, and suggested that the issue could be resolved through deputations and appointment of male teachers to those schools.

Ms Rehman claimed there were 30 schools where women teachers were reluctant to perform their duties.

`The teachers have submitted letters to her office, stating that they cannot perform duties in hilly areas due to a lack of accommodation and safety concerns,` she said.

Ms Rehman said she had been struggling to get this measure implemented not only in Shangla but also in all remote, mountainous districts to protect the future of girl students.

Meanwhile, the chief minister secretariat has directed the district education officer (men) Aurangzeb Khan to identify the girls schools in far-flung areas facing shortage of primary schoolteachers (PSTs) and primary schoolhead teachers (PSHTs).

It has directed devising a mechanism to deploy male PSTs and PSHTs from nearby areas to these schools on a rotation basis.

The district education officer (women) has also been directed to post women PSTs and PSHTs not willing to perform in remote areas to the schools in plain areas.