17 schools shut down in Panjgur District’s Gichk tehsil, Leaving hundreds of children without education: BNM social welfare dept. ★ Baloch National Movement

According to a report by the Social Welfare Department of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), 16 schools in Gichk Tehsil of Panjgur district are entirely shut down, while another has been seized by the Pakistan army and transformed into a military post.

In its report, the Baloch National Movement has called upon the international community to take cognizance of the grave situation in Balochistan and to take action towards ending the oppression faced by the Baloch people by assessing the strength of Pakistan that is currently denying the region its fundamental needs.

The Social Welfare Department of BNM is dedicated to monitoring the economic and social issues affecting the people of Balochistan. The department strives to address the challenges and promote better living conditions through its resources. This specific report is part of a series investigating Balochistan’s worrying state of education. This marks the fourth installment in this series, which includes a previous report detailing the closure of schools in Mashkai, Jahoo, and Awaran tehsils of Awaran district and Haurnaach and Naal tehsils of Khuzdar. According to earlier findings, 76 schools in Mashkai and Awaran, 25 in Jahoo, and 19 in Haurnaach and Naal have been closed, depriving children of these areas of essential education.

Based on the data gathered by BNM,137 schools have been shut down across the seven tehsils of Balochistan, most of which are primary schools. As a result, a large number of children are now lacking access to essential educational opportunities in this region.

As per a recent report, the Gichk tehsil of Panjgur district is facing a severe educational crisis, with 15 primary schools, one middle school, and a high school being entirely shut down, and no educational activities are taking place in these schools.

The report highlights a worrying situation: numerous schools have been closed in the Gichk Tehsil of Panjgur district. These include the Primary School Chib Gichk Muhammad Bazar, Primary School Juntaak Gichk Dost Muhammad Bazar, Primary School Lohari Maula Bakhsh Bazar, Primary School Kark-e-Dal Mulla Faiz Muhammad Bazar, Primary School Kashan Aaap, Primary School Kahan, Primary School Rehmatullah Bazar Kallari, Primary School Chairman Aslam Bazar, Middle School Muhammad Jan Bazar Siyah Damb, Primary School Bazid Bazar Drakoop, Primary School Abdul Samad Bazar Damli Tehsil, Primary School Haji Sanjar Bazar Sargwaz, Primary School Sophie Amir Bakhsh Bazar Silari, Primary School Dr. Rasool Bakhsh Bazar Sir Goz, Primary School Mir Ibrahim Bazar Parpuki and Primary School Jamadaar Jaurak Bazar Aaskaan Chib. Furthermore, it has been reported that the Pakistani army occupied the High School Kahan and transformed it into a checkpoint, adding to the educational deprivation in the area.

Complete report

Report of Baloch National Movement Social Welfare Department on the poor educational situation of Gichak Tehsil of Panjgur District

October 2023

Panjgur District:

Panjgur, a district of Makuran Division in the colonial system of Pakistan, is divided into three tehsils and sixteen Union Councils. The district has a population of around five lakhs. Sadly, Panjgur has also been a victim of Pakistani brutality like other areas in Balochistan. The Pakistan army has been responsible for enforced disappearances of a large number of people in the district.

Ever since the Pakistani occupation, every division and district in Balochistan has faced persecution, which has severely paralyzed the region’s social, economic, political, and educational life. The colonial system of Pakistan has had a detrimental impact on the lives of the Balochistan citizens.

The Social Welfare Department of the Baloch National Movement has recently published a report on the educational situation in Balochistan. The report focuses on three tehsils in the Awaran district and two in the Khuzdar district.

The reviewed report is part of a series of previously published reports that shed light on the educational backwardness of Balochistan. It specifically highlights the dire state of education in Tehsil Gichk of Panjgur district. Pakistani atrocities have transformed educational institutions into military camps and ruins.

Gichk Tehsil:

Gichk Tehsil is a part of the Panjgur district and has been subjected to the rule of the Pakistan Army, just like other districts of the Makuran division. Under this rule, people are deprived of basic facilities in every sphere of life, including health and education.

The lack of resources and facilities severely impacts the educational system in Gichk Tehsil. Schools in the area are in dire, with a significant shortage of teachers and many school closures. Moreover, reports of schools being converted into military posts further exacerbate the education crisis.

Here is a list of schools in Gichk Tehsil affected by these circumstances. These schools require urgent attention and support to improve the educational situation in the region.

Primary School Chib Gichk Muhammad Bazar
Primary School Juntaak Gichk Dost Mohammad Bazar
Primary School Lohari Maula Bakhsh Bazar
Primary School Kark-e-Dal Mulla Faiz Mohammad Bazar
Primary School Kashaan Aap
Primary School Kahan
High School Kahan (Military Chowki)
Primary School Rehmatullah Bazar Kallari
Primary School Chairman Aslam Bazar
Middle School Muhammad Jan Bazar Siyah Damb
Primary School Bazid Bazar Darakop
Primary School Abdul Samad Bazar Damli Tehsil
Primary School Haji Sanjar Bazar Sargwaz
Primary School Sophi Amir Bakhsh Bazar Silari
Primary School Dr. Rasool Bakhsh Bazar Sir Goz
Primary School Mir Ibrahim Bazar Parpuki
Primary School Jamadaar Jaurak Bazar Aaskaan Chib

In Tehsil Gichk, seventeen schools are currently suffering from a severe shortage of facilities. These schools have also been captured by the Pakistan Army and converted into military posts, further compounding the problems faced by the area’s children who are deprived of primary education.

Through this report, the Baloch National Movement urges international organizations to take notice of the dire situation in Balochistan. It calls for support from these organizations in liberating the Baloch people from the oppressive rule of Pakistan and addressing the power dynamics that deprive the people of the region of basic facilities.