By Faraz Ameem

Let’s look into the 69 year history of Pakistan, what we have achieved? What we have done in all the sectors; agriculture, health, industry, education, railway, civil sector etc. But topic of today is Education. Or rather I say the topic is deprivation of Education in my area. It’s been long time when I left my homeland Dera Ghazi Khan, first for education purpose and later for work. Now looking back a decade and looking ahead a decade educational facilities and requirement of the area don’t seem to be catered or even considered.

The reason to write is my recent visit back home where I met an old friend whom I remembered as the most shining student of my school and college. Those were the days when we were searching for admission in bachelors and many friends got admission in public and private sector universities of Lahore and Islamabad. Some went in Engineering and Medical field and some remained home even after securing admissions. A friend was selected in premier public sector engineering university based in Lahore. Admission fee was very reasonable and very much in reach of a middle class family. But he couldn’t join even after this much relaxation. His father was a clerk in local office with a monthly income of 10,000 rupees. Hence family couldn’t afford hostel expenses of four to five thousand rupees a month. They had other children to feed as well. So he was asked to continue his study in current college in simple science subjects and forget engineering. This is the fortune of every third student of our area. Still there are families who want to send their brilliant stars to engineering universities but can’t afford fee, if they afford fee, they can’t afford hostel expenses.

But I am writing this because it’s astonishing that after a decade fortune hasn’t changed. The most astonishing thing is that I don’t see it changing in next decade as well. It’s a simple question why in 69 years a single Engineering University couldn’t fit in plan for deprived areas of South Punjab. If they have quality technical education on their threshold, they can make records, they can stand up, and they can enter in system.  But why we want to keep them out of system, out in dark…?

Education is right of every one…. Education is my right also!