SWABI: Libraries in the public sector schools here have become useless due to ‘wrong’ priorities of the government and failure of the heads of educational institutions to educate students about the importance of book reading. Sources in government schools told Dawn on Monday that libraries had become so ineffective that most students did not even know that there was a library in their school. Teachers said libraries had been established to inculcate a habit of book reading in students to expand their knowledge on different topics. A 10th grade student said he didn’t know whether a library existed in his school. “None of my classmates in the last five years has ever been issued a book from the library. No one has ever visited the library.” Education dept official admits condition of libraries pathetic During a visit to a school’s library, it was found that books had gathered dust and it looked like they had not been touched by anyone for years. In-charge of a library in a higher secondary school said in a lighter mood: “Why he should increase his work by issuing books to students, taking them back and also ensuring every student returned books. “Why do I take this headache?” It was noted that the librarian made fake entries in the register about the issuance of books just to deceive the officials of the education department if they ever visited the library. Sources said heads of high and higher secondary schools had never shown any interest to have an Urdu language newspaper in the library. A school principal said on condition of anonymity that condition of public libraries was pathetic in the district. He said provincial education minister Faisal Tarakai belonged to the district, and earlier his elder brother, Shahram Khan Tarakai was also education minister. The sources said quality books were not available in libraries. “I got a low quality English dictionary for our library. I put it there and arranged another one for teachers,” said a retired headmaster. When contacted, deputy district education officer Mohammad Asif admitted that libraries in schools were not functional as per the requirement. The police arrested a thief a day after he looted a house in Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate. Altaf Hussain, a factory worker, filed a report with the Gadoon Estate police station, stating that a thief broke the locks of his residential quarter in his absence and took away five blankets, a few bed sheets, four ceiling fans, a dinner set, pedestal fan, an iron and various other household items. DSP Topi Hasan Khan said a team arrested the thief, Sulaiman, also a labourer, who lives in Gadoon Estate.