Most of the federal government schools in the Northern Areas (NAs) are lacking basic facilities, sources told this correspondent on Thursday. Current data shows most of the schools have fewer staff, no water supply and toilet, no furniture and their buildings are also in bad shape. Statistics shows about 215 schools are without buildings, 79 in a single room, 287 schools are functioning without proper shelters, 636 have no drinking water, 693 without toilets and washing rooms, 729 have no access to electricity, while 613 such schools in NAs have no boundary walls.
Sources also informed Rs 533 million would be spent on their repair and federal government to provide the resources from the Japan fund for education development.
There are 627 vacant posts in NAs education department at various levels, and it has sent requisition to the government for recruitment, sources added.
Out of these vacancies, about 30 are required for education reform system, 20 posts for colleges, 80 for IT departments and the remaining for filling in different schools.
It is also worth mentioning there is a major difference in the staff ratio in the federal capital and NAs.
According to the current ratio, 18 teachers are performing duties in the high schools in NAs against 31 in the federal capital, in middle schools 11 against 17 and 3 teacher against 9 in the primary section.