Shafi Ullah
MINGORA: As many as 202 government educational institutions have been affected by the devastating flood in Swat District. Even after the passage of more than three weeks, the work on the restoration of schools could not be started. Because of this, thousands of students fear that their educational journey will be interrupted and their future will be bleak.
Assistant District Education Officer (Planning and Development) Swat Ayub Khan told the Frontier Post that 135 boys’ schools have been affected during the recent flood in Swat District, of which 6 schools have been completely destroyed while 67 Female schools have been affected, out of which 7 schools have been completely washed away,” Education Department Officer (Female) Abdullah Shahi said.
Shabnam, the 7th class student of the flood-affected Government Girls Middle School Shahgram in Madyan area, said that her school was damaged in the flood and since then she has not been going to school, added that we are worried about our future because the covid-19 affected their education for two years and now the school has been affected by the flood. “I don’t know when the government will think about it and this school of ours will open again because we want to get education.” Shabnam raised the question.
Parents are also worried about the non-restoration of educational institutions and said that they are thinking about the educational future of their children. Ihsan Ali, a resident of Madyan, said that it has been three weeks since the flood, but the schools are still full of debris or the buildings have been severely damaged.
“Our children’s time is being wasted. Therefore, the government should take measures to restore the education of children on an emergency basis.” He demanded.
According to the officials of the education department, a report will be sent to the government after making an estimate for the reconstruction of the completely destroyed schools and repairing the affected schools in Swat. “They hope that the educational activities will start again in the affected schools very soon.