| The situation of education in rural
areas for poor children is very critical and it becomes more intense in Christian
families. In a single village, if there are 50 Christian families, 5 to 6 of them
can hardly afford to send their children to school for basic education. Rest of
them has never even thought of sending their children to school. We found children
who started working at the age of 6 and on asking them some basic reasons came
forward. 1. Most of
them don't even have three time meal in a day and some of them had very critical
health problems but due to lack of income they are unable to fulfill the basic
daily needs of life. No wonder they never thought of studying due to great shortage
of money. Although they have been working 12-16 hours a day for many years. Almost
all of them showed the will of studying and getting good jobs but this dream remains
a dream because they are forced by their parent to work. The only reason for such
situation is the lack of money.
2.
The second problem which is seen widely while talking to parent of these hard
working children is the lack of value of education. Most of the parent told that
there is no use of educating their children if they have to do the same work which
they are doing now. Parent asked the question that will we guarantee them the
job if they spend money from their small budget to educate their children. So
the mental approach of parent in this situation is very negative as they don't
see any prosperous future for their children after education. Secondly many of
the villages don't have a school and even if parent can afford to send their children
to school they are hampered by the lack of availability of school near by. So
they refuse to send their children to schools which are far away from their villages
as the cost becomes double in the bus fairs they have to give for their traveling.
Now
let's look at the condition of schools which are running in these areas. After
surveying these schools we analyzed that most of these schools are way low in
standard if compared to any below average school in cities. Many basic facilities
are not available like benches, black boards, cupboards, toilets, study books.
And above all the lack of teachers in these schools makes the situation more difficult
for these poor children who manage to reach schools. Teachers are unwilling to
teach in schools which give low pay roll and they have to travel a lot to reach
it. Some of these schools don't have a building structure and students have to
sit on ground in open area. Some school building is very old and weak. And news
of children dying in school is often heard every now and then. The problem keeps
on increasing and many incident of oppression on children by the teachers is heard.
This situation of schooling also plays a great deal of roll in hampering the cause
of education in these rural areas. Thirdly due to Islamic culture many of parents
are reluctant to send their daughters to schools as cases of sexuality and oppression
with children are common in Pakistan. Parents are afraid to send their children
to schools. The situation for Christian children becomes more complicating because
90% Christians in rural areas do low level jobs, like sanitary work and cleaning
of sewerage pipe lines. And this profession is considered low standard here due
to which they are treated as second class citizens. This inferiority complex affects
the mind of little children a lot and many of them refuse to study in normal schools
because they are teased by their Muslim class mates.
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