Girls’ Schools in Shangla, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Face Closure and Teacher Shortages

In the Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, around twelve government schools for girls have been closed, and most primary schools for girls have been operating with just one teacher since January 2023. This situation has raised concerns about the decline in girls’ education. The closures coincide with the installation of a caretaker government in the province, and teachers have been reassigned to preferred institutions based on local leaders’ recommendations.

Six primary schools have remained non-functional since their establishment over the past five years due to a lack of staff appointments by the education directorate in Peshawar. Schools in remote areas have been shut down or are operating with only one teacher due to educator transfers over the past two years. The closed schools are located in the Maira and Kormang union councils of Bisham tehsil, Damorai and Pir Khana UCs of Kana tehsil, and various villages in Puran and Martung tehsils.

Local residents, including Mufti Mehmood from Chichlo and Mian Sahibzada of Kormang, have reported non-operational schools in their areas. Lawyer Sarwar Yousafzai from Damorai highlighted that boys are studying in makeshift buildings due to the destruction of their schools by the 2010 flash floods. Some girls are enrolled in private schools, but many are denied formal education.

Despite repeated requests to the education department for teacher appointments, no action has been taken. The closure of schools or their operation with only one teacher has led to increased dropout rates. An order from the Peshawar High Court in 2022 mandated that a primary girls’ school must have at least two female teachers to prevent learning losses. However, district education officer Parveen Rehman claimed that no schools in the district were closed.