F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has announced significant progress in overcoming major challenges in Kurram district through the traditional Jirga system.
Speaking to the media, Gandapur emphasized that the government has taken serious actions to establish peace in the region and will take stringent measures against those who obstruct peace. He specifically mentioned that miscreants in some areas of Kurram have been identified and dealt with, ensuring the eradication of the issue from its roots.
“Jirgas have played a crucial role in solving ongoing problems in Kurram, which has been a recurring challenge. The government is fully committed to facing every challenge head-on. Bunkers, which were once a barrier to peace, are now being demolished daily. Additionally, we have delivered four large consignments of ration to the area,” said Gandapur.
In a related development, a Jirga held in Islamabad to foster peace in Kurram concluded on a positive note. The gathering, hosted at the residence of former Senator Sajjad Syed Mian, began with a meal for the elders before the formal discussions began.
Mian addressed the attendees, stressing the importance of unity among the elders in the region to facilitate lasting peace. “The people of Kurram are yearning for peace and our collective efforts will help bring it,” he said. The Jirga focused on critical issues, including the prevention of social media misuse and the establishment of peace in the region. The elders agreed on measures to ensure the protection of each other’s rights and discussed legal actions against individuals spreading hate speech online. The second session of the Jirga, which will involve elders from both sides, is scheduled to take place in Peshawar.
The security situation in Kurram has been tense, with shootings and clashes causing the closure of transportation routes for the past four months, leaving over half a million people trapped in the area. In response, the local Jirga has proposed strict legal action and severe punishments for those found responsible for spreading hateful content on social media. Efforts to bring peace to Kurram through the Jirga system and government action continue to show promise, with optimism that lasting peace and order will soon be restored in the region.
KP CM directs strict monitoring of teachers’ attendance in schools: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, chaired a high-level meeting on Monday at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, to take stock of the performance, mandate, and challenges of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Monitoring Authority (KPEMA). Senior officials, including Secretary Education Masood Ahmad, Director Education Samina Altaf, and KPEMA Director General Sohail Khan and others attended the meeting.
In the meeting, Chief Minister issued directives for the urgent provision of furniture to government schools. He further directed that data should be collected on missing facilities in the schools; and desks and chairs should be provided immediately. “No student in government schools should have to study without proper seating arrangements”, he made it clear and directed the high ups of education department to address other essential facilities missing in schools.
He also directed for the immediate construction of boundary walls and washrooms, with priority given to girls’ schools. He assured that the government would provide all necessary resources on a priority basis to improve schools ‘ infrastructure. In order to enhance the quality of education in remote areas, the Chief Minister directed strict monitoring of teachers’ attendance and called for reinstating rewards for high-performing schools and teachers simultaneously. He mandated disciplinary action against underperforming teachers and schools, stressing that absenteeism among teachers in government schools would not be tolerated.
He affirmed that actions based on KPEMA reports would be implemented without delay. Chief Minister agreed with the proposal for establishing a dedicated wing for ensuring quality education in public sector schools within KPEMA and instructed officials to formalize the proposal for approval. Additionally, he directed that monthly provincial review meetings of authority be held on monthly basis. I’m order to further strengthen KPEMA, the Chief Minister instructed the finance department to provide required funds for providing modern gadgets and digitizing all monitoring processes.
Officials briefed the meeting that every government school in the province is inspected at least once a month. The province has a total of 34,724 government schools, including 28,372 in settled districts and 6,397 in merged districts. Additionally, 2,174 girls’ community schools and 1,074 double-shift schools are also under monitoring. The meeting was informed that monthly monitoring and annual school censuses are conducted using android app, ensuring real-time uploads. The reports and analytics are made available online for all stakeholders.
Officials further reported a significant reduction in teacher absenteeism, with rates dropping from 23% to 14% in settled districts and from 27% to 23% in merged districts. The Chief Minister directed further efforts to bring absenteeism down to zero. To enhance transparency and reduce human intervention, KPEMA launched the Online Action Information Management System last year.
Through this system, 27,856 actions have been reported by KPEMA, while district education officers have taken 11,503 actions, resulting in fines amounting to Rs. 12 million. Moreover, the monitoring authority’s data collection on textbook requirements led to cost savings of Rs. 7 billion for the 2024-25 academic year. The Chief Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring quality education for all students and pledged continued efforts to improve public schooling across the province.
