The need of education for a successful and vibrant society cannot be overstated. Education is harbinger of a developed nation. No nation can develop without education. Education is the only way to stay relevant among the comity of nations. In Pakistan, the quality of education remains a big concern particularly in remote areas. New Merged Districts (NMDs) of KP are also included in the areas where the development of education system is not satisfactory. A large part of the population of the merged districts consists of youth, but unfortunately, due to lack of basic facilities, most of them are unable to complete their education.
The literacy rate in these areas of our country is very low. More than 57 percent of children between the ages of 5 and 16 are out of school in NMDs. Prolonged conflict have taken heavy toll on educational infrastructure in these areas. I believe that if the youth is educated, the country is on the path of development, but if the youth of an area is deprived of education, creative thinking is lost in them. According to a research, currently 1443 schools are not teaching in the tribal districts, most of them 371 schools are closed in South Waziristan while 295 schools are closed in North Waziristan.
Most of the people in NMDs deprive girls of education due to tribal traditions. After tireless efforts of Pakistan Army, this trend is changing but it will take some time to change the perception about girl education in NMDs. Getting education is the basic right of every human being whether it is male or female and both of them have many abilities, the only requirement is to take advantage of them and work for the betterment of the society.
As we all know that the wave of unrest in the merged districts for the last two decades has affected the people there very badly, in such a way even the bright youth are facing failure due to the lack of attention of the government. Despite the promises and claims of the government, the number of schools and colleges here is very less. The provision of scholarships for students is negligible due to which most of them are not able to complete their higher education.
The federal government has issued orders to restore internet in the merged districts, but unfortunately this initiative is not satisfactory so far. In most of these districts, the work on internet restoration has not even started yet due to which students are forced to go to remote areas for internet facility and online classes. Often students lose valuable time if internet is not available.
Recruitment of teachers on the basis of merit is necessary for education, but often this is not possible. Recruitment of incompetent teachers on the basis of recommendation leads to loss of competence and creativity in students due to which they face considerable difficulties in pursuing higher education. Often teachers take their salaries without duty and the students have to pay a heavy price.
The journey of peace and development is about to begin in our merged tribal districts after a long time, so the government and the people here need to give special attention to education by utilizing all the resources. The government should double the number of seats allotted in other city-based universities so that students from these backward areas can advance in the field of education.
Without promoting education in NMDs, the dream of a lasting peace in these restive areas will remain unfulfilled. It is our national duty to promote the need of education and development of educational infrastructure in NMDs particularly for girls. Pakistan’s success in comity of nation depends on raising the standards of education in every nook and corner of the country.
