Government steps in advancing education in FATA

The significance of education is apparent. It is form of knowledge where one renders his/her potentials to maximum use. It can be said that a human is inadequately equipped with natural abilities that may malfunction unless he is educated. Education makes man a right thinker enabling him to receive knowledge and availing it for betterment of all. FATA, comprising seven semi-autonomous agencies and six settled frontier regions, has 17.42% of literacy rate including both sexes. To upgrade this ratio government has taken following steps:

This year the government has launched incentive scholarship programme for the retention of local girl students and Rs. 6.5million is spent on free supply of text books. 60% of lady teachers are non local and are borrowed from settled districts of NWFP. Therefore the government in fresh recruitments has selected only local/tribal teachers. All new up gradations are now made on the ratio of 60:40 (female: male). 139 Early Child Hood Education centers are established too. This year 2100 teachers impart in refresher course, 75 IT Teachers are trained by NIRE and 20 Technical Teachers by Technical School Gulbahar Peshawar.

Due to lack of Higher Education facilities in tribal belt previously the focus remained on elementary Education. There were only nine colleges and all of them were for male students. The government took initiative and 10 additional colleges including six for female students are established since year 2003. Eleven more colleges have also started operating in this session. Several steps are also taken in science and technological education. 24 women hostel are under construction. Scientific equipment is also provided.
The foremost important factor for slow pace of development in FATA has been the madrassa system that alienated individuals of this region by creating a mindset that further separated them to be recognized as a developing or developed polity. The misuse of this system incepted un-Islamic habitual modes in its culture in the name if religion. Thus, a number of reforms are also initiated in Madaris. Due to the chequered history of this region the task of reform is difficult but one must remember the fact that education is the only way to transform a man into a human.