Women's emancipation through education

Dawn (July 21, 2001)

By Zar Alam Khan Rizakhail
Unlike their counterparts in the neighbouring districts, women
particularly those in the far-flung villages of Chitral, are actively
preparing for the forthcoming local bodies' poll and 275 of them have
submitted nomination forms for their reserved seats.
Although the religio-political forces had tried to demonstrate their
might against the women intending to take part in the elections by
threatening them of social boycott but disappointment has been writ large
on their manoeuvres after their call fell on deaf ears.
Irrespective of political and religious dogmatism, the most important
element in women's emancipation has always been their awareness about their
basic rights and this can only be achieved after women in a society are
adequately educated. In most villages of the countryside people still resist
sending their daughter to schools.
Female literacy rate in Chitral was abysmally low at 2.3 per cent in
1981 which rose to 22.09 till the 1998 census. Although it is still far
behind yet the trend of change in the intercensal increase has been very
encouraging.
In most of the villages in the valley, school attendance of girls
below 20 years of age is now almost 100 per cent.
Chitral has been the most backward area of the country mainly due
to its geographical settings as it remains completely cut-off from rest of
the country for almost six months in winter due to snowfall on the 10,400
feet high Lowari pass. Internally the infrastructures are even more pathetic
and the successive governments have always hoodwinked the people in terms of
developmental works in the area.
Despite all these odds, it has moved ahead on the path of education
attainment compared to the nearby areas---for example Lower and Upper Dir
districts.
When the state was merged with Pakistan there was only one school
established by the Mehtar, Sir Nasir-ul-Mulk, in the 1930s. At present
Chitral, with a population of about 320,000, has over 550 schools
including 181 for females besides a number of privately-run institutions
for girls.
But if the number of educational institutions were the only criterion
for the growth of literacy in any area, the two districts of Dir could have
been far ahead. The only element of change in the thinking of people towards the
continuing awareness has been the importance which they attach to
education.
According to the 1998 census Chitral had 652 schools and five colleges
while Upper Dir district's population was 576,000 and it had 978 educational
institutions. Similarly, Lower Dir district with a population of 717,000
had 1,290 schools, colleges.
The school enrolment rate for girls in Chitral was 33.30 per cent
while it was 8.8 per cent and 12.01 per cent respectively for Upper and
Lower Dir districts. Subsequently female literacy rate has been 22.09 in
Chitral, 6.1 per cent in Upper Dir and 12.25 per cent in Lower Dir according
to the census of 1998.
In Chitral, the most important aspect of the progress, as far as female
education is concerned, has been the marked change in people's perception
about the value of education.
The centuries-old notion reflective of a tribal mindset is fast being
eroded away and the people are accepting the idea that if a man has two
children---a son and a daughter---and if he could only afford to educate
either of them, he should prefer to educate the latter. This type of
thinking will, in a long run, bring far-reaching impact to the idea what
we call women's freedom.
This has resulted due a combination of factors most important
of them being the receptive response of the populace in popularizing women's education.