STATE OF EDUCATION IN CHITRAL

An important news item appeared in chitraltimes.com a few days back and a recent article by ever famous Zeeshan Tariq in Chitraltimes.com surprisingly went unnoticed from the learned viewers, educationists and student community. Taking the first one, it was a brief news report pertaining to statement made by a responsible sitting public representative and Chairman Education Monitoring Committee District Chitral, Muhammad Wazir Khan. To my utter surprise, a government functionary himself had the courage to bring forth the dilapidated conditions of public education in Chitral District, but the statement is still a tip of the iceberg. In simple words what he pointed out was a sheer negligence being committed on the part of all � parents, students, teachers, educational administration, and district administration and above all the political functionaries.
The Chairman was specific in leveling charges of misconduct and absence of sense of responsibility in educational administration leading to teachers� absenteeism not for hours, days, weeks or months but even for years. Absence of a lady teacher from a girl�s school in Bang village for the last seven months, that again with the connivance of the District Education Department, was an immediate cause of uproar in the District Assembly. The Education Department had very conveniently ignored a number of reports submitted to this effect.
This pathetic state of education in Chitral has many reasons, but to my view nepotism and considerations beyond professionalism in appointment of administrators at various tiers of education is the root cause. The incumbent District Executive Officer Education is also a prominent example. Why the people of Chitral do not ask their representatives to be just with them at least in educating their ill-fated children? Can�t this holy profession of Prophets be cleaned from the black sheep, who have made it a source of livelihood at the cost of future generation? Why can�t people raise their voice for more competent and professional educationists like who have been thrown out of the district on political, sectarian or cast and creed bases?
Viewers of Chitral times owe the responsibility to come with concrete suggestions to educate the public to demand for what is good for their children�s future. We eagerly look forward for your comments and suggestions.

Tariq Mehmood, Islamabad
Cell: 03215821275