GWADAR: In a major step toward revitalising education, 41 previously closed schools in Gwadar have been reopened, enrolling 1,157 students under Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti’s initiative to restore non-functional schools across Balochistan.
Before the campaign began, 63 schools in the district were listed as non-functional. Of these, 41 have now resumed operations, while the chief minister has vowed to make the remaining 22 fully functional within the next year.
According to Gwadar Pro, 19 of the reopened schools have been staffed through the SBK Teachers (Phase I) recruitment program, two hired teachers on contract, and three were assigned educators under Phase III. The Pakistan Army contributed to reopening three schools, while 17 others were revived through efforts led by the district’s deputy commissioner.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Balochistan government has so far successfully reactivated 3,144 schools that were previously closed.
The initiative, led by Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti and spearheaded by Provincial Education Minister Raheela Hamid Khan Durrani, has brought functional education back to more than 81,000 children. This effort has revived 81% of the 3,862 schools that were once non-functional.
“The future of our province is linked with education, and we are ensuring that no child is left behind,” stated Minister Durrani, highlighting the government’s commitment.
The success was driven by a large-scale recruitment and redistribution campaign. The government appointed 2,789 new teachers in three phases and reactivated an additional 290 schools by strategically reallocating existing staff. The initiative received crucial support from organizations like the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) and the Balochistan Education Foundation (BECS), as well as the Pakistan Army and local Deputy Commissioners.
Districts across Balochistan showed remarkable progress. Pishin led with 230 schools reopened and 10,076 new students enrolled, followed by Khuzdar with 7,394 and Awaran with 6,529 new enrollments. Significant improvements were also recorded in remote areas like Zhob and Naseerabad.
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With the schools now open, the government’s focus is shifting to ensuring their long-term sustainability. The priorities include providing essential facilities and guaranteeing a consistent presence of teachers, cementing this as the most extensive educational revival effort in Balochistan’s history.
