DURING its election campaign the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had promised to bring a change in education by introducing a common curriculum for government and private schools.

There was also a focus on educating girls, which, according to Imran Khan, was the main agenda after forming the government. But, sadly, nothing has been done so far in this regard.

Recently, Maryam Siddiqa Government Girls High School in Latifabad No. 9, Hyderabad, has been closed and merged into M.A Jinnah Government Girls School, Latifabad, No. 11 without considering difficulties of poor parents and students who are compelled to send their children to a government school.

M.A Jinnah Government Girls School is situated far away from the defunct Maryam Siddiqa Government Girls High School. The students who were studying in this school will now come to the school from surrounding areas of Latifabad No. 9 and a village namely Tando Mir Ghulam Hussain.

Now they will have to walk a long distance to reach their school or they will leave their study because their parents cannot afford transportation expenses.

Girls will also feel insecure covering a long distance to school alone. Moreover, there is no other government girls high school in Latifabad No. 9.

While the federal government will say this is a provincial matter, the Sindh government will defend its decision of closing the above mentioned school.

But the question is: what will the poor girl students do? Should they stay home or take to the streets like others?

Aqeel Ahmed

Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2018