Schoolchildren across Swat, Dir, Buner and other conflict-hit districts in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) returned to school for the first time in three months on 1 August, as educational institutions re-opened.
The schools closed down in May amid fighting between government forces and Taliban militants.
“All schools have now re-opened,” Qaisar Alam Khan, NWFP additional secretary for elementary and secondary education, told IRIN.
The NWFP Education Minister Qazi Asad said in Peshawar that 356 schools had been damaged by the Taliban and the government was attempting to rebuild them. Tents have been set up to serve as classrooms in cases where the buildings cannot be used.
However, officials say it will take time for attendance to return to normal. “Many families are still displaced and the children have yet to come back. Some are also still concerned about the security situation here and are afraid to send the children to school,” an education department official in Swat, who requested anonymity, told IRIN. Attendance was reported to be low across the areas affected by fighting.
There are other problems too. “My three children are keen to go back to school. My two daughters have not been since December last year when the Taliban banned education for girls. But there is no transport here for them to use,” Ameena Bibi, a local resident, told IRIN. Infrastructure damage and the tight security situation in Swat mean many roads have been damaged while road-blocks shut off others. This has also affected ease of movement and the availability of transport for many.
Some schools also remain closed as they continue to shelter IDPs. The NWFP government has said these schools will be vacated soon.
Despite these problems, the re-opening of schools has given people a sense of normality. “I am happy to go back even though over half the girls in my class were absent. Our teachers were also glad to see us,” Duniya Bibi, 10, told IRIN. The Taliban takeover of Swat had left her uncertain if she would ever go back to her studies.
Teachers across the area have also resumed duties following government orders. “We hope that now there will be no disruption. It really affects education badly when the pupils are away for so long,” Muhammad Fazal, a high-school teacher at a private school for boys, said. Private schools have also re-opened and fees for the past three months have been waived.
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This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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