Govt schools asked to foil negative propaganda against anti-polio drops

F.P. Report

TIMERGARA: The elementary and secondary education department Lower Dir on Tuesday announced the conduction of awareness session about the crippling polio disease for students in schools’ morning assembly. The announcement was made during a meeting of schools’ heads held at Balambat with district education officer Ghulam Nabi Khan in the chair. Headmasters and principals of middle, high and higher secondary schools attended the meeting. The deputy district education officer Muhammad Riaz, principal schools’ officers association Humayun Khan, ADOs Fayyaz ud Din, Wajeeh ud Din, deputy DHO Lower Dir Dr Mehboob and Dr Israr Ali were also in attendance.

Dr Mehboob briefed the participants on government commitment to eradicate polio from the country. He also informed the schools’ heads about the safety of vaccines and vaccination drives. The deputy DHO said that Lower Dir had been polio free since 1996 and the administration wanted to maintain the status.

Addressing the meeting the DEO Ghulam Nabi Khan asked schools’ heads to conduct special awareness sessions in this regard in their respective institutions. The DEO said that polio eradication was a combined cause of the nation and that the health department could not cope with the problem alone. He directed the schools heads to inform students in morning assemblies about the importance of vaccination so that negative propaganda against the drops could be countered.

About the district the DEO said that Lower Dir had stood 4th in the province according to the districts performance report in May. He however admitted that teachers’ absenteeism, students’ results and weak enrollment had been the main hindrances in promoting quality education in state run schools.