Dadu: some 243 primary schools for girls and boys in the district of Dadu have been left closed without serving the purpose of education. Closure of the schools has gravely affected the ratio of enrolment of new students while increasing the number of dropouts largely.
The feudal landowners in the areas of Mehar, KN Shah and Johi are using such schools as mass guestrooms (Otaques) while animals are seen roaming freely in the premises of these schools. Fareedabad is one of the remote areas of Kachoo belt of taluka Mehar, where 13 primary girls’ and boys’ schools are closed. In addition, primary schools for both girls and boys in Ali Gohar Chandio, Sajan Mirwani, Ali Bux Tivino, Mirpur, Wadi Batil, Khushal Khan Machhi, Kanwar Machhi, Mulan Rahmoo, Mojhar, Bhambha, Dera, Rashool Bux, Dost Mohammod and Mehar Channa have also been closed.
A social activist of Fareedabad town, Mehar Deero said that due to closure of 13 primary schools, 20000 children are being deprived of schooling. He demanded of the Sindh Chief Minister (CM), Syed Murad Ali Shah to take notice of the issue and direct the Secretary, Education Sindh to take effective steps for opening the schools on war footing.
Niaz Ahmed Chandio, Coordinator of Child Rights Committee, Dadu said that out of 1966, 243 primary schools for both girls and boys have been closed in the district. He said that 43 schools are closed in Taluka Dadu and 23, out of 43 schools fall in the constituency of the Sindh CM where he has big vote bank. 293 schools’ buildings are in shabby condition while 763 buildings can be conserved by repairing, he said adding that buildings of 1137 school have no facility of drinking water 1073 schools are without power facility. Further, 689 schools have no boundary that invites stray animals to get in, and 691 schools are without toilet facility. Further, there are 1843 schools that have no playground and 125000 children have opted to stay from schools. An educationist and the President of Primary Teachers Association, Dadu, Inyat Jamali said that all buildings should be repaired and new buildings should be constructed where there are no schools available and students are receiving schooling under trees.
Educationist and Vice Principal, Government Ustad Bukhari Degree Collage for Boys, Prof. Irfan Ahmed Kalhoro said that senior education officials should monitor primary schools for both girls and boys situated in far flung areas of Kachoo and Katcho and all closed schools should be opened without any delay and all out of school children should be enrolled. Another, educationist Sindh University Jamshoro, Dr Anwar Ali Shah Syed, said that it is possible to open closed schools with the support of parents and government. He also said that Sindh CM has declared emergency in education department to improve education and appealed to the CM to take required measures to open the schools.
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