ISLAMABAD: Literacy rate among women in tribal areas is alarmingly low and stagnant at mere 3 per cent. Factors hampering the process of education were inaccessibility to schools, poor quality of education, low retention rate, militancy, displacements and custom and traditions prevalent in those areas.

This was said in a report prepared by a civil society organisation, Shaoor Foundation for Education and Awareness (SFEA)

It said that 14.7pc of girls between 3 and 13 years of age had never been enrolled in any school. The overall enrolment stood at 27pc for girls as compared to 73pc for boys. A subsequent decrease was observed in the transition of female students from primary to higher secondary levels from 33pc to 13pc – the lowest in the country.

The gender parity index (GPI) in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) stood at 0.52pc at primary and 0.20pc at secondary levels, while dropout rate was 77pc. A survey by the SFEA further showed that the education process was being marred by the absence of boundary walls around schools, desks, fans, drinking water, lavatories, teachers’ absenteeism, dearth of female teachers and access to and from schools.

Cultural, traditional and social practices had kept Fata women in a highly vulnerable position. Tribal traditions not only restricted and excluded them from decision-making even at the domestic level but also limited their access to education.

Destruction of infrastructure and internal displacement of millions of people because of government operations against militancy had pushed down education from their priority list, it was noted.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2014