Sir: Education is the only weapon which can change the world and ensure national development.
Unfortunately, the students in Balochistan are deprived of educational facilities. Neither the provincial nor the federal government is taking any meaningful measures to bring improvements in the education sector. Due to the amount of corruption within the government, the people of Balochistan have been kept away from attaining education.
Lack of infrastructure and opportunities has crushed the dreams of students. A larger number of students of school-going age are deprived of basic needs such as clean drinking water, boundary walls, electricity, and punctual teachers.
Recently, a report showed that in Balochistan, 65 percent of schools do not have drinking water facilities, 61 percent of schools lack proper boundary walls and toilet facilities, and 31percent of schools are without electricity. The government of Balochistan has failed to solve this issue.
Recently, a boy had to quit his primary school class 5th because of poverty. He was very eager to become a teacher, but unfortunately, he belonged to a poor family and his parents could not afford to send him to Turbat or other areas of Balochistan for education. His dreams are now damaged due to the dismal state of education, expensive fee structure, and disinterest of the government.
Another student aspired to become a doctor. But regrettably, she is out of school. Similarly, a lot of other children are alienated and the government is not making any actual efforts to address this issue. The question is that why are more than half of the children aged 5 to 16 are out of school in Balochistan? And the answer is: article 25-A of the constitution orders the state to provide free and compulsory education to all children between ages five to sixteen, but this remains unfulfilled dream.
The government needs to urgently provide relief to the students in Balochistan before the fate of the province rests on their shoulders. Education, which is a right of every individual, has become a luxury. It is my appeal to the government to make efforts towards improving the despicable state of education in Balochistan.
MUNAJ GUL MUHAMMAD
Turbat, Kech
Published in Daily Times, February 9th 2018.