KHYBER: Setting aside the official criteria for upgradation of primary schools, officials of the education department in Khyber adopted a ‘novel’ way to select primary schools for upgradation by conducting a draw in Jamrud tehsil, much to the displeasure of people.
Dawn learnt from both official and private sources that the department received at least 15 applications from the management of the same number of primary schools for their upgradation, as per the official criteria.
Officials said that the selection board considered three aspects before upgrading a school – enrolment, distance from students’ homes and availability of land.
The officials also give due weightage to the residents’ demand to establish or upgrade a school, they said, adding that the decisions were made purely on merit and in accordance with the agreed criteria.
Residents accuse CM’s brother of interference
The district education officer, however, opted to conduct a draw among the 15 aspiring schools at the behest of Naveed Afridi, brother of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, while ignoring the merit-based criteria.
The news of the draw immediately attracted the wrath of both the managements of the schools that had applied for upgradation and the general public, who had expressed their displeasure at the increasing involvement of the chief minister’s brother in the functioning of various government departments.
Residents in Jamrud said that the standard of education had already deteriorated and the excessive involvement of a non-elected figure in official business was troubling for them.
They appealed to the chief minister to refrain his brother from interfering in the working of government departments and restore the merit-based criteria for deserving schools for upgradation.
When contacted, district education officer Misri Khan told Dawn that the practice was adopted to avoid criticism of favouritism and nepotism while selecting schools for upgradation.
He said that he, along with the other officials, could not decide as to which of the two schools from among the 15 should be upgraded, as all of them fulfilled the required conditions, and thus they had to opt for a draw.
He, however, remained silent over the possible role or influence of Naveed Afridi in the working of his department.
Sources in Bara told Dawn that the issue of upgradation of schools could not be resolved as local MPA Abdul Ghani and Naveed Afridi had ‘locked horns’ over equal share of their favourite schools in their respective areas.
Hailing from the Shalobar tribe of Bara, CM’s brother Naveed Afridi wanted a major share in upgrading schools in his area, while MPA Abdul Ghani wanted ‘judicious’ allotment of upgradation to schools in other parts of Bara.
Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2026.
