B A T T A G R A M : Residents of Dheri Mashakhel village here have protested the closure of a government girls primary school because of absence ofits teachers.

Talking to this scribe, the area people said that the school was constructed in 1994 to boost literacy rate by providing education to the local girls.

Unfortunately, the only school built for three villages remains shut due to staff absence, while the elementary and secondary education department has failed to take action in this regard.

General councillor Gul Faraz claimed that teachers of the primary school were receiving salaries while sitting in their homes.

Several complaints have been made by the local people to the education department in this regard, but it failed to take any action.

Abdus Salam, a resident of the village, urged the government to make the school functional and ensure presence ofstaff.

Mohammad Islam said that the government should take action against the officials of the local education department under whose nose a school was lying shut because of the teachers` absence.

Abdul Manan, another villager, said that the provincial government was focusing on social media campaigns to misguide the laymen and hide the truth of bad condition of educationin the province.

Over 100 children were enrolled in Dheri Mashakhel girls primary school.

The area people have urged the provincial minister for elementary education, Atif Khan, to come out of his office and check performance of his department in remote areas like Dheri Mashakhel.