Bajaur schools reopen

PESHAWAR: Though the political administration in Bajaur Agency has announced reopening of educational institutions in the restive parts of the tribal region after 16-month pause, no steps are in sight for the reconstruction of the destroyed education infrastructure and return of the displaced teachers and students to their native towns.

Almost all schools and colleges in four out of the seven tehsils of Bajaur including Mamond, Salarzai, Nawagai and Chamarkand had been closed since August 2008 when the first military operation was launched.

Educational institutions in the rest of the tehsils namely Khar, Utmankhel and Barang also remained closed intermittently. There were some schools even in the Khar tehsil where educational activities remained suspended since the day one of the operation launched by the security forces.

According to a senior officer in Bajaur education office, the study of some 90,000 students was affected because of the militancy and counter-militancy activities in Bajaur tribal region.

He said almost all of the students and teachers of the agency were displaced during the first phase of the operation in August 2008, but those belonging to Utmankhel, Khar and Barang tehsil returned to their hometowns and educational activities resumed there.

But in the restive parts of the agency like Mamond, Charmang, Nawagai and others, the displaced families could not return home because of the volatile situation, the officials said. Several school and college buildings had been destroyed because of the excessive bombardment by the jetfighters and gunship helicopters, while the militants started blowing up government buildings including schools and colleges in mid-2009.

Some reports suggested that 74 school and college buildings along with some basic health units and veterinary centres were destroyed till January 2010.

An official in the political administration of Bajaur told The News on the condition of anonymity that the militants had blown up all the buildings of educational institutions in Mamond and Nawagai tehsils. “Reconstruction of the demolished buildings is a big challenge before the political administration for smooth resumption of the educational activities in the agency,” he said.

Another hurdle, according to tribesmen, in the resumption of the educational activities was the rehabilitation of the displaced tribal people. Only two to 10 per cent people have so far returned to their villages in most of the areas of Mamond, Charmang and Nawagai, said Abdul Wahab, a resident of Inamkwaro Chinagai, told this correspondent during a visit to the area.

The tribesmen face a lot of problems in the rehabilitation, he said. The returning families had to make registration with the security forces, which was a lengthy process, he said. Because of the registration process and closure of roads leading to Damadola and other parts of Wara Mamond and other areas, the people cannot go back to their homes, he added.

A lecturer at the Government College Khar, wishing not to be named, said a lot of time of the students had been wasted. “It will be difficult to bring back the students to schools after a long break in their education,” he added.

He was of the opinion that many a students had got admissions in other schools in the settled areas or other parts of Bajaur, while many were unable to continue their education.

He said the political administration should make proper arrangement for the rehabilitation of the displaced families and focus attention on resumption of educational activities. Relief should also be given to the students whose time had been wasted due to the closure of their schools, he added.