WOMEN’S education has been a serious issue for years in Bajaur where women have been marginalised in the absence of proper education facilities for them in keeping with the local culture and traditions. This is evident from the fact that for about 1.5 million people, there is only one college in the whole district. Naturally, it remains overcrowded, and, sadly, teachers and staff mostly remain missing.

On the one hand, the government is seen stressing on women’s education, while on the other, there are no proper and enough girls schools and colleges in the country, especially in areas like Bajaur.

In most parts of Bajaur, there is even no girls school either. Most people in the district are poor and cannot afford the ever-rising transport expenses to send their children, especially girls, to distant schools.

Other than the lack of education infrastructure in Bajaur, lack of transport, apart from financial constraints, is affecting girls’ education seriously. Women from all over the district can hardly attend classes owing to the poor transport system.

Even though the authorities are fully conversant with the situation, there is blanket inaction on the part of the government in this critical regard, which is making things worse by the day. Consequently, the locals are feeling frustrated and uncertain about their future, which seems rather bleak at the moment.

Rizwan Ullah Shaheen
Bajaur

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2021