HRCP Report; Ghost schools and health centers deprived of medical staff revealed in Sindh

Karachi: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has debunked the Sindh government’s claims in its ground-based fact-finding report on ghost government schools in northern Sindh and government centers lacking doctors and medical staff. In particular, ghost government schools in Kandhkot and government centers lacking doctors and medical staff have expressed health concerns.

HRCP’s fact-finding report 2023 titled “Northern Sindh: Searching for Sustainable Solutions” presents ground facts based on interviews on education, health and other topics. According to the report, the HRCP mission visited Mirpur Mathilo, Ghotki, Larkana, Jackabad and Kandhkot and conducted detailed interviews with the affected people of the respective areas including journalists, lawyers and social leaders.

“Due to tribal conflicts, most of the schools in the villages remain closed.”

According to the HRCP report, the number of primary schools in northern Sindh is much less than the secondary schools, while most of the schools in the villages remain closed due to tribal conflicts and those that exist are in a very dilapidated condition, with inadequate water, electricity, etc. , lack of toilets or seating facilities while teacher absenteeism is a major problem.

The report mentions hundreds of ghost government schools in northern Sindh, especially in Kandhkot. The fact-finding mission quoted local people as saying that several defunct school buildings are occupied by local landlords.

“Ghost schools had school management committees and teachers were drawing regular salaries.”

The HRCP report revealed a serious revelation regarding hundreds of government schools in district Kushmore. The report quoted a member of a local NGO as saying that in official documents only 1,499 primary and 68 higher secondary schools exist in Kashmore, while around 358 schools did not exist during the survey conducted by the 25-member team. .

“On paper, these ghost schools had school management committees and teachers were drawing regular salaries, but after reaching the authorities during the survey, 30 to 28 schools were opened.”

According to the report, a local NGO member said that in 2016, he conducted a survey with a 25-member team to identify all the schools in the district.

“Education is in decline due to the corruption and mismanagement of the provincial government.”

Also, according to the report, the members of the civil society have blamed the corruption, mismanagement and bureaucracy of the provincial government for bringing the education system to an extreme state.

“Many PPHI health centers are understaffed.”

The HRCP’s fact-finding report expressed concern over the lack of adequate health facilities. Kandhkot has several People’s Primary Health Initiative (PPHI) centers and at least one small hospital unit, which is understaffed and under-resourced and doctors are rarely available. .

The report stated that citizens are forced to travel to Larkana and Sukkur for surgical treatment while women face extraordinary health problems in accessing gynecological centers.

“Ghost schools in North Sindh should be identified and closed immediately.”

In its recommendations, the HRCP called on the government to identify ghost schools in northern Sindh and close them immediately, while civil society should play its role in stopping ghost schools and their funding.

Apart from this, the Pakistan Human Rights Commission urged the Sindh government to establish gynecological centers and child care centers in every district of northern Sindh while also implementing the Reproductive and Health Care Rights Act of 2013.