Pakistan: 11,000 ghost schools in Sindh have teachers but no students

As many as 11,000 schools in Sindh province have teachers but no students, said Pakistan media reports which added the teachers are serving in these schools draw reasonable salaries without doing any work.

As many as 11,000 schools in Sindh province have teachers but no students, said Pakistan media reports which added the teachers are serving in these schools draw reasonable salaries without doing any work.

A report published in The Express Tribune newspaper said these schools are proving to be a burden on the state's limited resources.  ( (AFP photo/for representation only))

A report published in The Express Tribune newspaper said these schools are proving to be a burden on the state's limited resources. Wages of 11,000 teachers are making up a whopping salary bill on account of payments to teachers.

The report said influential people are using these schools as their guest houses as no student is coming to these schools.

According to the Tribune, there are 1.8 schools for every 1,000 students in rural Sindh. A mere 15 per cent primary and middle schools have two teachers.

Not just that, the schools are also devoid of basic facilities. A big number of schools does not have adequate facilities like drinking water, toilet, playground and boundary wall.

Sindh schools were gaining school enrolment however the number now is stagnant. The government needs to focus on increasing the number of schools in the province -- especially the secondary schools which number a little above 2,000 as against around 49,000 primary schools, the report said.

It should at least provide the basic facilities if not the high-tech ones available in developed countries of the world, The Express Tribune reported.