Violence threats make 650 schools dysfunctional in Fata: HRCP report

About 650 schools for boys and girls remained dysfunctional in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) due to threats from militants, revealed by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in its report. The HRCP report titled "State of Human Rights in 2011", stated that 542 boys schools and 108 girls schools remained dysfunctional in the conflict-hit Fata region due to threats of violence by militants.
"There were two kind of violence affecting the educational institutions, external violence sponsored by political actors in the name of religion and internal violence by hooligans in educational institutions of higher learning, armed by religio-political students' bodies", the HRCP further reported.
In the year 2011, schools destroyed by militants numbered 440, of which 130 were girls' schools. The break-up shows that five schools were destroyed in North Waziristan Agency, 24 schools in South Waziristan Agency, 85 schools in Kurram Agency and 62 schools were bombed in Mohmand Agency, the report disclosed.
In Frontier Regions, comprising semi-tribal areas of Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu and Lakki Marwat, 20 institutions were attacked by militants in which Peshawar led the table where 17 schools were destroyed, while in Charsadda 12 private educational institution and 10 public schools were attacked. There were also reports of the security forces camps in schools mainly in Khyber Agency, the report stated.
According to the report, academic activities in schools continued with or without buildings under threats of violence from militants, as enrolment rate was 75 percent in Fata in spite of insurgency. Out of total enrolled children only 5.6 percent went to Madrassa (religious seminaries) while 56 percent went to public schools and 35 percent went to private schools.
According to Education department officials, Khyber Agency is still inaccessible due to the law and order situation. The process of reconstruction of schools has begun and 367 schools have been rebuilt in Fata with 59 schools in Bajaur, 67 in Mohmand, 63 in Kurram, 32 in Orakzai, and three in Frontier Region Bannu.