BATTAGRAM: More than 54 per cent girls of five to 16 years of age in Battagram are out of school owing to poverty and lack of basic facilities like water, electricity and infrastructure, according to a report.

The report, released by Alif Ailaan, a non-governmental organisation, here on Thursday, said that more than 75 per cent girls between five and 16 years were out of school in Torghar.

It said that Battagram was ranked 111 and Torghar 103 out of the 145 districts of the country. According to the 2016 survey report, Battagram is ranked 22 and Torghar 21 out of 25 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

It said that almost 89 per cent government schools in Battagram catered to the needs of primary students only.

Poverty termed main cause of low literacy rate

There are 817 government schools in the district and 728 of these are primary schools. Out of these 817 schools, 69 per cent (561) are for boys and 31 per cent (256) are for girls.

The report said that almost 81 per cent government schools in Torghar were only up to primary level. Out of the total 236 government schools in Torghar, 206 are primary schools. Out of these, 74 per cent (174) schools are for boys and 26 per cent (62) are for girls.

The report said that enrolment rate at primary level in Battagram was 54 per cent. It said that dropout rate at middle level was 11 per cent and seven per cent at high school level.

It said that enrolment rate of girls at primary level was 49 per cent and that of boys was 59 per cent. Almost 82 per cent students are enrolled in government schools while 18 per cent study at private schools.

The report said that poverty kept children out of school. It said that 47 per cent children in Battagram and 54 per cent in Torghar, belonging to the poorest families, were out of school. It said that 16 per cent children in Battagram and 38 per cent in Torghar, hailing from rich families, were out of school.

The report also questioned the standard of education.

It said that 53 per cent 5th graders could not read a simple story in Urdu in the textbook of grade 2. It said that 59 per cent 5th graders could read a sentence in English.

According to the report, around 41 students in Battagram and 55 students in Torghar are taught by a lone teacher at primary level. In Battagram, 2,228 teachers are appointed in 817 government schools.

According to the report, water is not available in 60 per cent primary schools in Battagram and in 78 per cent primary schools in Torghar. It said that 87 per cent schools did not have facility of electricity in Battagram while in Torghar 98 per cent schools were without electricity.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2017