Girls Education in Swat, Pakistan

 Women are considered the true architects of future. Their role has become increasingly complex and demanding in the present modern societies. A variety of competencies and skills are required for the women to carry out responsibilities of an enlightened mother and house-wife. Such capabilities can only be ensured through meaningful education delivery.

The learning opportunities initiatives in the war hit Swat were primarily taken by the enlightened rulers of State (1917-1969). Besides some cultural reluctance, Badsha Sahib (pioneer of the State) made it possible to set up first girls' formal school in 1940 and expanded the scope of facilities gradually. The crown prince, Wali Sahib further strengthened overall education process on the basis of his vision and broad mindedness. After state merger in 1969, the overall system could not maintained with the same spirit and style due to rapid population growth, frequent migration from the remote surrounding districts, politicized educational set up and management in-competencies of the stakeholders.

Before insurgency, we see that learning opportunities provided for girls were inadequate and even 80% less than boys. There were 80 and 24 high and higher secondary schools for boys and girls respectively. Same was the case of primary and middle schools in Swat District as per details given below:

 Government Schools in Swat (2008)

Level	Male	Female	Total
Primary Schools	841 (63%)	489 (37%)	1330 (85%)
Middle Schools	83 (65%)	45 (35%)	128 (8%)
High Schools	66 (77%)	20 (23%)	86 (6%)
Higher Secondary Schools	13 (76%)	04 (24%)	17 (1%)
Total	1003 (64%)	558 (36%)	1561 (100%)

Religiously women have not only been allowed to get education but their cultural training also emphasized largely. Women used to take lessons in morality and day-to-day life activities in the early age of Islam with certain special arrangements. Islam does not allow any distinction between men and women in the acquisition of knowledge and provides equal opportunities. Even if a woman possesses extra ordinary potentialities and wants to get expertise in a specific branch of knowledge, Islam does not stand in her way if she observes the ethics and values prescribed. Hazrat Ayesha (R.A) was a great scholar of her time who disseminated knowledge even to men. She was not only authority in Quran and Sunnah but guided people of her time in history, jurisprudence and medicine as well. Umme Durda, Fatima Binte-Qais, Rabia Basria and daughter of Imam Malik were the great scholars of their age who made remarkable contribution in educating people of their times.

Ignorance always brings miseries. Women were an easy target of extremist forces to gain their sympathies at the early stage of Swat conflict. Huge financial support to extremists by illiterate mothers and sisters is evident from reports appeared largely in the press. At later stage, infrastructure received serious damages due to bomb blasts in girls' schools. Psychological damages and threats to female students and teachers cannot be neglected as a sense of insecurity still prevails in the area. Parents have to think twice before sending their daughters to schools. Infrastructural damages of girls’ schools are evident from the details given below:

          Damaged Schools (SWAT)

S.No	Category	Fully damaged		Partially damaged		Grand total
		M	F	M	F
1	Primary	29	84	80	75	268
2	Middle	10	21	18	15	64
3	High	13	12	26	2	53
4	Higher Secondary	03	03	05	01	12
5	Circle offices	00	00	02	01	03
6	Darul-Uloom	00	00	01	00	01
Total		55	120	132	94	401

The situation is now normal in the scenic valley of Swat. Various organizations, including government, NGOs and INGOs are working for the rehabilitation and reconstruction. The progress made during last three years, is significant in case of partially damaged schools, especially by security forces. However, a lot of work is still required in case of reconstruction of schools. The input of UAE government in this regard is highly commendable. Forty one big and historical institutions fully damaged in the conflict are being constructed under their support. A second phase of their support is also expected. But it is clear, keeping in view the ground realities, that we have not reached to the pre-conflict stage, particularly in case of girls’ education even after three years of the conflict. A lot of work is still essential to provide learning opportunities to the female folk of local society.

Swat is the third largest district, after provincial capital Peshawar and Mardan, in KPK province. According to the estimates of field staff of “Media Dimensions” a local research organization mandated for education through media, more than half million girls (age group 5-14) are out of schools, mostly belong to remote and hard-to-reach areas of the district. The situation of learning opportunities for girls beyond matriculation is also scarce even in the city of Mingora. There are five high girls’ schools within the limits of Mingora municipality. The average of students qualifying matriculation each year is approximately above four hundred. It is not possible to accommodate such students in one degree college of the city. The rest have no option but to sit inside their homes or join higher secondary school Odigram, six km away from the city.   

Before militancy, Swat remained constantly an experimental district in various projects of education. Kalam Integrated Development Project (KIDP) was a Swiss funded (1992-1998) project. It was a big project in the history of Swat. Beside other components of the project, they encouraged girls to seek education. Their efforts for the promotion of girls’ education in remote areas of Swat will be remembered for a long time. ADB assisted Girls Education Project was another big initiative in the valley for promoting girls education. Malakand Rural Development Project (MRDP) also focused on girls’ education and provided incentives to female students in the shape of scholarships and stipend. Small grants projects implemented by local organizations also supported the cause of female education in the valley. The common factor of all such initiatives was to attract culturally reluctant parents to send their daughters to schools. A controversy was created on this point during militancy and all the previous efforts were seriously shattered.

Status of women can be raised only through education and training. If we are committed to all round development of our society, its women folk are to be well educated. Women create next generations. They do so physically, mentally and spiritually. They are the true architects of our future. They can develop intelligent, healthy and de-radicalized society. It is now the duty of all those responsible for promotion of girls education, including civil society, to meet the challenges efficiently and leave no stone unturned to put girls education on the right track in the valley.