14 Girls' Colleges Being Shut Down For Lack Of Funding

Islamabad, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th July, 2016) : 14 semi-government girls’ colleges which were established under the control of the Frontier Education Foundation (FEF) in different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are being shut down due to lack of funding.

Approximately 1,800 students are displaced causing hundreds of them to suspend education. An official of FEF stated that Rs 280 million allowance for budget was required for this fiscal year, but as a substitute of coping this critical prerequisite, the provincial government had decided to randomly close all these colleges.

Coaching fee offered in these colleges is Rs 600 per month, whereas Rs 5000 per annum. The decision caused disappointment among parents as they feared; due to primarily financial and social reasons, they would not be able to send their daughters to colleges in distant vicinities.

These FEF colleges are in the periphery of Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Chakdarra, Kohat, Dabgari, Tangi, Topi, Sara e Norang etc. The staff of 271 teachers and many non-teaching staff have been asked to sign forms for their deputation adjustment in other government departments for the future.

Two members of the staff said while talking to media correspondent from the suburbs of Peshawar, “We are worried about our future as well. Moving from areas, where we have settled families for years, will also not be an easy decision”.

The media correspondent contacted Education Minister Mushtaq Ghani on his cell phone to establish provincial government’s perspective but he did not respond to the calls and SMS regarding this issue.