Daily Times

PESHAWAR: Despite the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Government declared and announced emergency in education sector in the province but the Social Welfare Department cut five per cent budget for Special Education Institute in KP and halted the annual grants of books and uniforms for special students learning at different schools in the province.

Talking to Daily Times the principle of the Government School for Deaf Gulbhar No-2 Ahmad Saleem said the Social Welfare department has allocated Rs 20,866,660 funds for ongoing year for the school which will hardly meet different heads and school expenditure such as salaries of the staff, bills of the gas, telephone and water.

The students have not received their annual grant of Rs 3000 for their books and uniforms this year, adding that after several time request the Social Welfare department failed issue amount to be given for purpose of books and uniforms.

The school consists of around 200 students and 31 teachers including clerical staff while three position of one teacher a cashier and a driver vacant for the last five years.

He said that transportation for the students was basic issue as there are two vehicles out of order and required repairing but shortage of funds dose not allow to be spent in the institute transport system.

“One van which has the capacity of 32 seats under use but we dump 50 students and the rest of the students come to school on their foot mostly remain absent from the their classes,” he maintained .

Students come to school from far plunge areas of the district used public transport and a helper to attend their classes regularly he added.

On the request of anonymity the staff member of the school told this scribe that students residing nearby to the school and those who have transport facility attend the school the other remain absent all year long.

The rate of absenteeism has reached to over 50 per cent during the ongoing session as government have turn deaf year to fill the requirement of the transport of the special education schools.

The security of the school also at risk as the provision of extra funds to purchase CCTV cameras and weapons delayed funds after the social welfare department have not issued to school.

The local police have warned the staff of the school for its insufficient security measurements but we are helpless in the matter as we do not have funds to meet the requirements of the school security Ahmad Saleem said.

When contacted the Director Special Education Javed Yousaf said that the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has deducted five per cent funds from every government department of the province.