Educational Emergency in Balochistan
Educational Emergency in Balochistan
Syed Muhammad Yaseen
Articles

Unfortunately, Balochistan which covers more than 43 percent of total area of Pakistan is legging behind other provinces in terms of education.

Unfortunately, Balochistan which covers more than 43 percent of total area of Pakistan is legging behind other provinces in terms of education. Sons and daughters of this resource- mineral rich province have always been deprived of quality education. Here the literacy rate is insignificant (poor), while drop out rate is day by day increasing in educational institutions. The plight of schools in the provincial capital and other areas of this multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-cultural province are miserable.

According to sources in education department there are about 1.8 Million out of school children in the population wise smallest province of Pakistan.

But there are many conflicting figures about out of school children in Balochistan as the bureaucrats and political leaders are not on the same page in terms of statistics. Dr. Malik Baloch, the former chief minister Balochistan said the number of out of school children was 2.3 million children whereas the former secretary education Saboor Kakar put the figure at 1.8 million.

More than 60% children leave Schools when they reach from Primary to Middle level and about 45% children leave School before the completion of Matriculation, data of education department reveals. Standard of education is so poor that in many schools the students are unaware of founder of

Pakistan and many of them can’t read or write even in

Urdu, what to speak about English.

Most of the students live below poverty line they do not meet their daily life requirements. Many of them leave schools and become laborers that results an increase in the child labor ratio of the province, while others get admission in religious schools (seminaries), which provides free Islamic education plus accommodation. There are a number of ghost students in Balochistan.

There are about 13,500 Primary, Middle and High Govt run Schools in Balochistan. Out of which 5,000 are singled roomed primary schools with just one teacher, Rahim Ziaratwal, the education minister Balochistan reveals. Most of the Govt schools are shelter less without washrooms, no pure drinking water, windowless, the ceilings are porous, no or broken chairs and poor mud walls that could easily drop after a heavy rainfall. In the competition of government schools, some people have opened private schools, which have now become a trade and schools owners are minting money right under the nose of authorities. Private educational institutions take heavy fees from the students and their education is also not qualitative except some schools. There are many ghost schools in the province and almost 950 schools are not verified, the officials in education department said.

Many of the government run schools are under the direct control of chieftains or tribal and political elites. They had converted educational institutions into their guest houses and dairy farms. They don’t let schools to be made operational or opened since tomorrow the education class will challenge them. However, on the other side, the sons/daughters of Elites go to Oxford or Cambridge for studies.

Apart from ghost schools and students, there are thousands of ghost teachers in this so called half Pakistan (Balochistan). Most of the teachers who perform their duties are less educated and untrained. “I can’t read 5th class book ” Mr.Mustafa said a primary school teacher in my village (Toorkhail Syedan), one of most backward villages in Pakistan.

Some of the government teachers appoint someone else in order to perform their responsibilities and in return share half salaries with them. They do business or other jobs. So, we can say that some teachers of Balochistan are multi-serviced.

Governments came and went; they made many promises regarding Education, passed many bills or resolutions in order to address educational issues in the province. Unfortunately, all the govts failed to fulfill their promises and changes a practical shape. The Provincial Govt has allocated 16.5pc of the total 2017-2018 budget for Education. According to article 25-A of the Constitution Education is made free and compulsory for all children.

Indeed Education is the fundamental, constitutional and birth right of every person. Without education a person is blind. It is one window operation that offers solution to all ills of a society. It creates awareness among the people about their basic rights and gives voice to voiceless people of the nation. It brings power, prosperity, success and respect to someone’s life.

Today, if we look towards the developed countries of world, their key to success is quality education. At first in a Pashtoon dominated society people used to call Jirgas for solving murder cases, blood fuedes and other criminal cases. But few months ago for the first time in Khanozai, a tehsil of Balochistan a Jirga was called in order to uplift literacy rate.

Government should bring reforms in Laws and there must be strict check and balance on the performance of Education department. There mustn’t be gender discrimination and media should also play a role in creating awareness among the people about the importance of Education. Parents should also step forward in admitting their children in schools, colleges etc. If the children of elites and down-trodden would study at one school. Then I am sure, none can stop the progress and development of Pakistan.

                                                                                                           

The author is the first year student of the Federal Government College Quetta. He can be reached on twitter @YStorai