Establishment of Fata University with an estimated cost of Rs 3 billion has been approved in principle and the project is at initial stage for which a suitable location is being identified. This was disclosed during a presentation to the Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Barrister Masood Kausar on Fata Education here on Tuesday at Governor's House.
It was further said that Rs 2680.129 million had been allocated for Fata education during the current financial year, which is the highest ever, outlay for education sector development in Fata. Director Education Fata Fazal Manan gave the presentation in which the Additional Chief Secretary Fata Fazal Karim Khattak, Secretary to Governor Sikander Qayyum and Secretary A&C Fata Abid Majid were also present.
The Governor was told that under different schemes the Fata students were being awarded educational scholarships worth nearly Rs 1 billion annually. Talking on the occasion, the Governor said that education development in Fata was the top most priority adding that quality education was our ultimate aim that would never be compromised.
The Governor emphasised efficient monitoring of the educational process in Fata to ensure its quality and continuity and urged that trend of absenteeism in the educational institutions must be discouraged. The Governor stressed the need for promotion of female education in Fata, saying that the female literacy ratio was pathetically very low that needed to be enhanced to a considerable level.
To a point regarding shortage of teaching staff, the Governor said that the issue would be raised with the federal government. He described extra-curricular activities as equally important for student's physical and mental development and urged that sports and other healthy activities and provision of facilities for such activities must be part of our educational development plan for Fata.
In response to a query regarding closure of certain educational institutions in Fata the Governor was told that in certain areas the education institutions had been closed due to law and order problem, and these institutions will be opened when the situation in the respective areas become normal.
Regarding closure of community schools, the Governor was informed that these schools were closed in December last year as being reportedly non-functional. However, a survey is being carried out through local committees and the feasible and functional schools will be reopened. The total number of educational institutions in Fata is 5620, including 41 colleges and nearly 300 high and higher secondary schools.
The male enrolment in these institutions is above 0.4 million and that of female is above 0.2 million. Twenty model schools and 6 cadet colleges are also being opened, out of which 10 model schools and 1 cadet college in Wana has since become functional.