KHYBER: The lone higher secondary school in Paindi Cheena area of Landi Kotal tehsil was shut down forcibly by students and locals in protest against the shortage of teaching staff and other related facilities.
Sources in the region said that out of the total 28 sanctioned posts for teachers, 19 had been laying vacant for the last several months despite repeated reminders by both students and their parents.
They said that students and locals were left with no option but to lock all the classrooms as they had only nine teachers for 900 students with the primary section having only two teachers for 600 students.
They said that it was for the second time during the last six months that the newly-established educational institution was shut down for the same reasons, while the education department failed to honour its commitment of deputing the required number of teachers and providing other necessary facilities to the schools.
Complain the school also lacks electricity, laboratories and drinking water
Local sources said that initially it was planned to build a cadet college in Zakhakhel-inhabited territory to appease the tribe for its support to military operations against outlawed militant group Lashkar-i-Islam some 15 years ago.
The building was completed in 2019, but the idea of a cadet college could not be materialised for unknown reasons, and the institution was instead converted into an army public school with a strength of nearly 2,000 students, both boys and girls, in the beginning.
The institution was later upgraded to a higher secondary school and was handed over to the education department. It also had a hostel but that remained unutilised. Though the school is geographically and administratively part of Landi Kotal tehsil, it is situated close to upper Bara region of Tirah valley.
Hikmat Shah, a local elder, told this scribe that the situation of the school started deteriorating as the education department could not maintain the standard that security forces had set soon after its opening.
He said that alongside a shortage of teaching staff, the institute was without electricity, science and computer laboratories and drinking water facility. He said that at present only two students were enrolled in higher secondary section of the school while grade 9th and 10th students had to travel to Bara and Peshawar for their annual examinations and science subjects-related practical tests.
He said that local residents had resolved to continue with their protest and the institution would remain closed till acceptance of their demands.
Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2025.
