1,000 schools closed in Pakistan province over low enrolment

Islamabad, Dec 11 (IANS) Authorities in Pakistan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have closed down around 1,000 government primary schools due to low enrolment, the media reported.

They said that the abandoned school buildings, which had cost billions, were constructed by the education department at unfeasible places and in violation of criteria merely on the directives of the then rulers to oblige their voters.

A senior official told Dawn news on Monday that the education department was helpless in that regard as it only followed the directives of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.

"We have no power to decide about the construction of a school on need basis, rather we have to wait for the directives of the Chief Minister," he added.

The official said that opinion of education department about construction of new schools was often rejected rather schools were set up wherever the Chief Minister wanted.

A district education officer said the education department closed those schools where enrolled students were less than 40, Dawn news reported.

He added that most of the closed schools were located in the rural areas.

According to government criteria, a new school is to be constructed in the area having 1,000 population in the surrounding which will ensure admission of 160 students in the school.

(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)