FATA militancy compounds female educational woes

PESHAWAR -- Anila Shinwari, 20, has a simple explanation for her move to Peshawar from Khyber Agency.

“I myself shifted to Peshawar, to further my education,” said Anila. Anila, a student at Peshawar University, denounced the militancy in the area, saying that tribal female students want to get an education but the militancy is forcing them to quit — or leave.

Large numbers of girls and women from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) are seeking an education in other districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, driven out by the worst law-and-order situation in FATA’s history.

The already low percentage of school-aged females attending class in FATA — last estimated at 1.3% — has dropped further because of al-Qaeda and Taliban terror.

Militant bombing of schools compounds the plight of students burdened by pre-existing cultural restrictions on female education; unavailability of and constraints on access to girls' schools, and a lack of study materials.

“The destruction of schools in FATA by the militants has definitely affected the female literacy rate,” Manzar Jan, deputy director of FATA education, told Central Asia Online. “It will take a long time to restore the previous education ratio.”

To date, militants have destroyed 28 Khyber Agency schools, including one women's college, Agency Education Officer Hashim Ali said.

He doesn't know when those schools will be repaired or rebuilt. “(As) an Agency officer, I prepared a detailed report about the damages and ... sent to concerned high officials,” he said. “So far, funds have not been released to reconstruction of these schools.”

Non-governmental organisations are trying their best to promote female education and create awareness among the tribesmen about female education, but “the militancy washed away all those efforts,” Landi Kotal-based social worker Wali Muhammad Shinwari said.

“Restoration of female education will take a long period,” said Shinwari.

The Taliban's ban on female education in some areas they dominate has enjoyed complete success: the education of girls has dropped to zero.

“Tribal (people) are not against female education,” Sudhair Ahmad, a tribal area-based journalist, said. “Actually, the militants are the enemy of female education, and they want to keep the tribal (people) backward.”

“Our traditions are not against female education,” tribal elder Haji Khayali Khan said. “However, the militancy will have a negative impact on the future.” Militants have destroyed at least 209 girls' and boys' schools throughout the tribal regions, an official in the FATA education directorate who requested anonymity for security reasons said, adding, “We are strictly prohibited to disclose the information.”

While government money to rebuild schools has been slow to arrive, authorities have taken other steps in an attempt to keep educating the young.

“The political administration with the co-operation of the Pakistan Army and nongovernmental organisations has established the tent schools so the education process could be continued till the reconstruction of schools,” Zakir Hussain, Bajaur Agency political agent, told Central Asia Online.

Militant intimidation has caused authorities to close even physically unaffected schools. In South Waziristan, authorities have closed more than 300 undamaged schools in reaction to lawlessness, said Dilawar Khan Wazir, owner of a private school in Wana.

The government is doing its best to restore damaged schools in FATA. Fazal Manan, director of the FATA Education Directorate in Peshawar, said.

“Developments are in the pipeline regarding restoration of damaged schools,” he said. “The government has provided tents so students could continue their studies.”

“Tent schools are working, and students of damaged schools are shifted to nearby schools,” he said.

The federal government has asked donor agencies for funds to restore education, especially female education in FATA, Manan said.

“The situation will be better in the near future regarding female education in FATA,” Manan predicted.