Save SAP schools from closure

By Dj Mathal

The Pakistan People's Party claims that it is following the five Es visualized by its founder and former prime minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. One of the so-called five Es represented provision of education to all segments of society without any hindrance and discrimination. However, today when the party is in power in Pakistan, we cannot see any project launched for promotion of education in any part of the country including Gilgit-Baltistan. For the last many years, the structure of education-providing institutions and the education system in Gilgit-Baltistan have been facing crisis after crisis and their foundation now seem to be near collapse.Gilgit-Baltistan, which is facing backwardness in all spheres of life, is also lagging far behind as far as the vital sector of education is concerned. During her second tenure as prime minister of Pakistan, slain PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto had in 1995 launched 540 schools in Gilgit-Baltistan in collaboration with the local administration and various NGOs under the Social Action Programme (SAP) in order to spread the light of education to every corner of the region. For these institutions, about 1,155 teachers were inducted on the monthly stipend of Rs3,000 to provide education to the 22,000 students. The schools continued to function as long as Ms Bhutto was in power and later when Nawaz Sharif succeeded her, these institutions functioned through funds provided by the World Bank. When the situation deteriorated for the schools, a system was formulated in 1998 about the administration of the schools and other matters and under the formula there was to be one teacher for every 40 students and the teachers were to get a monthly salary of Rs3,000. However, the corrupt bureaucracy in the region cashed in on the situation and brought the institutions at the brink of destruction and the institutions faced worst financial constraints facing closure. This led to halt of the teachers' salaries and in return the educators came to the streets in protest against the injustices with them and the students. However, they did not stop teaching the students in the best interest of the nation even at the meager stipend of Rs200 which was later increased to Rs500 and then to Rs1,200. Even this amount was not paid to the teachers regularly on the pretext of unavailability of funds etc and was completely stopped over a year ago. The education department is of the view that it ahs no funds to run the SAP schools and pay salaries to the teachers. Due to the umpteenth times protest and demonstrations by the affected teachers, it was finally decided that the schools would be handed over to the National Education Foundation for smooth running. In this regard, a grand ceremony was also arranged where local administration authorities and officials of the NEF signed the agreement. However, when the authorities are not sincere with the region's interest, such types of agreements does not have any importance for them and after signing of the agreement, no step was taken to manage the schools and take care of the affected teachers. At the moment the situation is such that the future of thousands of students is at stake while the teachers are facing starvation with no hope no hope of getting justice ant time soon. It is strange that the teachers appointed for the schools have been running from pillar to post in order to get their due right, that is their paltry salary and job security, but the government has failed to ensure them that their services would be regularized and they would be getting at least a decent pay package. Besides, there is a question of the future of thousands of children and the government seems to be failing on its basic responsibility of providing education to the people especially the poor segment of the society. Instead of launching more educational institutions and creating more opportunities of education and job, it is ironic that the rulers have adopted a callous attitude towards the basic right of education of the masses especially in this backward region. It is time the government took stringent measures to safeguard the future of the SAP schools and their teachers. It is advised that the government should enter into an agreement with the local community to run the schools and regularize the services of the teachers and provide facilities to the teachers at par with those in federal government institutions. The new government of Gilgit-Baltistan should take the issue on a priority basis if it wants the region on path of development with its youth having access to modern means of education.

Corruption-hit department