ISLAMABAD: After renovation and provision of new facilities, 10 schools in rural areas have been handed over to the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE). According to the FDE, the months-long renovation and facelift work has been completed and new education facilities have also been provided to students in 10 schools in rural areas of the capital territory. Education Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani said that work in 10 schools had been completed. “Work in 86 other schools of rural areas is in progress. Every month a batch of 10 schools sees completion,” he said and added that the ministry wanted to get the rural area project completed within this fiscal year. Besides renovations, “we have established new state-of-the-art labs and libraries and furniture,” the secretary said, adding that 76 newly appointed subject specialists had also been deputed in rural areas’ schools. The secretary claimed these steps would end the disparity between urban and rural areas schools and also increase enrollment. The 10 schools, which have been handed over to the FDE after the completion of works included Islamabad Model Schools for Boys (IMSB) Chatta Bakhtawar, Islamabad Model School D-17, IMSB Tamman, IMSB Dora Tarnol, IMSG Humak, IMSG Mughal Sihala, IMCG Rawal Town, IMSG Tarnol, IMSB Jhang Syedan, and IMCG Tanda Pani. Meanwhile, renovations are underway in 86 other schools, which included 16 schools located in the Sihala region, 45 in the Nilore area, nine in the Bhara Kahu area, and 16 in the Tarnol area. It is relevant to note that under the Rs7 billion project, the education ministry uplifted around 170 schools and provided new facilities. The schools in urban areas had already been facelifted and now work was being conducted in rural areas. A few months ago, the issue of shortage of basic facilities in rural areas was also highlighted by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Education, which formed a subcommittee to visit schools. Subsequently, the FDE shifted its focus from urban to rural areas. It may be noted that amid these renovations, the teachers urged the education ministry in June to pay heed to their concerns, citing financial hardship and administrative neglect. One of the teachers told Dawn that physical upgrades alone were insufficient to uplift the standard of education in these schools as the most crucial element in this equation is the teaching staff, whose welfare and professional growth were being overlooked by the government. —