Employees of the Bannu Board staged a robust protest in Bannu, leveling serious allegations against Acting Chairman Imtiaz Ayub including financial irregularities, misuse of authority and corruption in the examination system. Protest leaders warned they could halt board examinations and refuse to mark papers if their demands are not met.
The demonstration was led by Employeesβ Union leader Samiullah Durrani with the support of Bannu Board Employees Association members, leaders of the Private Schools Association and a large number of students. Speakers at the protest included Samiullah Durrani and Irfan Khan, president of the Professional Education Network, who detailed complaints about the boardβs management.
Protesters alleged that the chairman, who is also holding the additional charge of the Kohat Educational Board, has turned the Bannu Board into a centre of mismanagement. They claimed appointments for superintendents, deputy superintendents and invigilators were made through paid transactions using a specific intermediary, and that examination staff were allegedly collecting illegal payments from students and parents, adding severe pressure on economically vulnerable families.
Speakers said the chairman had visited the Bannu Board only twice in the past two months and that most affairs were being handled through WhatsApp and social media. They also accused close associates of the chairman of orchestrating the alleged irregularities while the chairman projected an image of honesty and transparency.
The protesters raised concerns about misuse of board resources, alleging that despite the chairman already having three official vehicles, he used a Bannu Board vehicle and charged the board for fuel expenses running into hundreds of thousands of rupees. Employees who deliver question papers to remote areas said they are forced to rent private vehicles and do not receive reimbursement for those expenses.
Financial discrepancies in procurement were also highlighted. Protesters alleged that answer sheets were purchased at Rs. 60 per sheet by the Bannu Board while similar sheets cost Rs. 120 for the Kohat Board, a difference they say points to potential embezzlement worth millions. These claims have intensified calls for an independent review of board finances and processes.
Demonstrators demanded that the Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Provincial Minister for Education immediately withdraw the additional charge of the Bannu Board from Imtiaz Ayub and appoint a local professor as chairman to restore credibility and effective management. They warned that failing action would lead to staged escalation starting with halting scanning, then marking, and ultimately locking down the secrecy branch, a move they said would jeopardise the examination schedule and for which they held the acting chairman responsible.
Leaders of the Private Schools Association and student representatives addressed the gathering, echoing the call for the chairmanβs removal and underscoring the wider impact these allegations could have on students and the education system across the division already facing security and social challenges.
