Directorate Education, FATA, identifies three sites for the establishment of FATA University. Site selection committee constituted for the purpose will soon finalise its recommendations in this regard. This was told to Governor, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Barrister Masood Kausar, during a briefing on development of education in FATA here at Governor's House on Friday.
The Governor on the occasion expressed the desire that the literacy ratio in FATA should correspond to the growth in population. Governor Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Barrister Masood Kausar on Friday directed to accelerate the process of establishment of FATA University and Cadet Colleges in FATA and urged the authorities to look into the possibility of temporary arrangements for the University at some suitable location.
During the briefing, given by the Director Education FATA, it was stated that three sites have been identified for FATA University and the committee constituted for the selection of one suitable site would soon finalise its recommendations. Regarding cadet colleges the Governor was informed that one out of 6 proposed cadet colleges have started working in WANA, whereas work on establishment of rest of the five colleges, one each in Khyber, Kurram, Mohmand, Orakzai and Bajaur, is in progress.
The Governor was further told that during previous financial year more than 33 thousand college level students from FATA were awarded scholarships worth more than Rs 160 million. Talking on different points the Governor emphasised the need for rationalising the award of scholarships to FATA students, urging that the low grade students should be properly focused along with deserving and outstanding students.
The Governor especially mentioned lack of proper education facilities for the IDP children particularly in the down districts and directed that the matter must be taken care of to avoid educational losses. On a point the Governor said that position holding students and those having outstanding abilities should be encouraged in different ways. He directed to ensure sports and extra and co-curricular activities in FATA educational institutions like declamation contests, debates, cultural activities, sports tournaments and other healthy competitions among students enabling them to expose their hidden qualities and capabilities.
He further desired that the political administration should also take interest in holding such competitions and contests with follow up reports. The Governor stressed that the existing facilities in FATA schools and colleges must be further strengthened and shortcomings in this regard are to be removed. He, however, said that opening of new schools should only be on need basis.
During the briefing, which was also attended by the Additional Chief Secretary FATA, Secretary A&C FATA and Additional Secretary to Governor; an overview of educational facilities, promotional plans, infrastructure development, shortcomings, problems and other issues was also presented.
It was told that the current literacy ratio in FATA is 29.50 percent in males and 3.00 percent in females. The total number of educational institutions of different categories is 5,620 including 2,349 for girls besides 18 model schools and 13 out of 24 colleges for women.
The FATA educational budget has been increased by 117 percent during the recent three years. It was further told that 587 educational institutions had been damaged by militants and reconstruction and rehabilitation of these institutions would cost around Rs 3 billion. Absenteeism in FATA educational institutions has also been taken notice of and the salaries of continuously absent teachers have been stopped. Teachers-parents committees in the name of 'Taleemi Islahi Jirga' are being constituted to monitor the performance of public sector schools.