Protestors want Faryab education director removed

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Ulema department on Tuesday sought the removal of the education director of northwestern Faryab province, warning of more protests if their demand was not met.

The protestors accused Education DirectorGhulam Sakhi Bayan of taking bribes, forgery, misusing his authority, moral corruption and recruiting ghost teachers. They said the Ulema Council and other people did not want a notorious person yo head the education department.

Maulvi Nasir Nasratyar, deputy head of the Islamic education department, said: “All security, judicial and crime branch officials are aware of the education director’s corruption, but no action has been taken against him. The director was once introduced to the attorney office, but was released by his supporters.”

The education department is an important organisation, where 50 percent of employees were women, he said, adding a corruptdirector -- incapable of promoting the cause of education -- was unacceptable to them.

“There is no shortage of competent and qualified individuals to hold the position. Anyone who has got Ghulam Sakhi Bayan appointed as education director should review his decision and replace him with an honest person,” he continued.

Maulvi Gul Ahmad Amiri, a member of the Faryab Ulema Council, alleged Bayan had converted the education department into a hub of corruption that had sparked a public backlash.

If government leaders did not replace the education director, it would mean they themselves were corrupt, the scholar observed, warning of continued protests if their call was ignored.

Qari Abdul Basit, head of Qaisar Madrasa, said a corruption-free government would never hire such a crookedman as head of the education department.

Ulema Council members tried to shut the department, but faced reaction from a number of workers and students of Arab Khana High School. Some of the protesters were even beaten up.

But Bayan, who is currently in Kabul, rejected the allegations and said the protestors were not members of the Faryab Ulema Council.

Some peopleinvolved in “terrorist activities”were instigated by Maulvi Nasir tried to shut the provincial education department, but they faced reaction from 300 staff members, Bayan added.

“Nasir wanted to get his blue-eyed people appointed to the education department, but they were rejected by the recruitment committee on illegibility grounds. As a result, he has started hatching conspiracies against us,” the director claimed.

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