IT is appreciable that our army is establishing military schools and colleges in Fata. But certain questions need an answer. Cadet colleges are nurseries for recruitment in the armed forces. The philosophy behind military colleges is to produce dedicated and talented personnel for the armed forces. This was an established pattern in the British era.

Is this age-old colonial philosophy still intact? There are many schools and degree colleges which can cater to the educational needs of the people of Fata, but no serious efforts have been made for their uplift. Establishing more military colleges indicates a colonial mindset. Instead of more military colleges, the old ones need our attention.

The image of Pukhtuns being a warrior race is fixed in the minds of our policymakers. We should not continue this colonial prejudice. Military colleges without doubt provide quality education, but they also act as breeding grounds for officer cadre and perpetuate that old notion.

It is, therefore, the need of the hour to refurbish the infrastructure of existing schools and colleges.

It is imperative to notice ground realities, the aspiration of the people of Fata to evolve a comprehensive modernisation mechanism. Merely establishing cadet colleges perpetuates the infamous warrior spirit.

Muhammad Arif Khan

Lahore

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2016