Teacher shortage forces closure of 3,500 schools in Balochistan

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Teacher shortage forces closure of 3,500 schools in Balochistan
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Abdul Qadir Bakhsh Baloch, the interim Balochistan Education Minister, disclosed a distressing situation: over the past two months, approximately 3,500 schools in the province had to close due to an acute shortage of teachers. He cited political and administrative limitations hindering teacher recruitment since 2019 and the exacerbation caused by the retirement of over 300 teachers per month.

Bakhsh emphasized the impossibility of boosting the province's literacy rate without actively enrolling children in schools. To address the crisis, the provincial government plans to upgrade 150 primary schools to middle schools, allotting four schools per district.

Moreover, he highlighted the damage caused by last year's floods, with over 5,500 schools affected and only 50 repaired so far. International organizations have pledged support for the reconstruction efforts. Additionally, the government aims to establish a model school to promote educational development.

Official statistics reveal that around 800,000 school-age children in Balochistan are currently out of school, and 1,964 schools lack proper infrastructure. Shockingly, half of the province's 12,000 primary schools operate with just one teacher. Furthermore, 11,000 schools lack electricity, 10,000 lack water, and 1,800 lack basic washroom facilities.

Bakhsh also highlighted the financial strains, noting that over 80% of the Education Department's budget is allocated to staff salaries.

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