KHYBER AGENCY: Teaching staff of the government middle and primary boys schools in Mir Alam Jan Kalley, Sheen Pokh, and Loy-Shelman of Landi Kotal tehsil have been absent from their official duties for the last two months. Tribesmen Haji Muhammad Alam, Hamesh Khan, Mir Alam Jan and Malang told this scribe that almost two and a half months ago, following the attack by militants on border forces’ posts from Afghanistan side, the locals were asked to evacuate the area and take refuge in other safe localities of Loy-Shelman. They maintained that after restoration of peace in the area, they returned to their homes and resumed their routine life. But ironically, since then, the teaching staff of the two schools were still absent despite repeated complaints to the authorities concerned in this regard. Approximately 500 students had been studying in the middle school, while more than 200 were enrolled in the primary school. They said that the students were now wondering in the area and not attending their classes owing to the teachers’ absence. They asked the high ups of the Khyber Agency Education Department and FATA Education Secretariat to address their problems immediately and ensure presence of teachers in schools. When one of the teachers of the schools, Sarif, was contacted on the matter, he said that after disturbance arose at the border posts, the education department asked them to quite their duties until further order. “We are ready to join the duties but waiting for the replay from the agency education office, Khyber Agency.” Khyber Agency Education Officer (AEO) Jadoon Khan said that he was unaware of the prevailing situation of the education institutions. He said that he would personally visit the schools within a week for inspection and address the grievances of the locals regarding the education department on the spot.