Tweet
Paktika education department officials have said that over the past fifteen years only 20 girls graduated from schools in the province.
They said that some so-called traditional values have been the main reason why girls are not being educated in the province.
The officials stated that the majority of families do not allow their girls to go beyond class 6.
"This year up to 50 or 60 girls will graduate from 12th grade which is very rare in Paktika," said Nasim Wajid, head of Paktika education department.
But, civil society activists have said that the education situation for girls in Paktika is worse than what is presented by government officials.
According to the activists the girls that received graduation certificates in-fact did not attend school.
"We could not find even a single school in all Paktika where a girl was studying in secondary school," said civil society activist Sayed Anwar Shah Sadat.
In addition to this, some school girls in the province have said that the majority of girls in Paktika leave school after class 7 under heavy pressure from their parents.
"I am studying in class one and I am happy," said a student in Paktika.
"I want to become a doctor and serve the people of Paktika," said another student.
Some religious scholars have meanwhile said that learning is an Islamic obligation for both males and females and no one has the right to deprive girls of an education.
They also blasted government for not taking action against some unfavorable cultures in the country which are preventing girls from being educated.
"Seeking knowledge is obligatory for males and females, but there has not been any focus on the plight of women's education in this province," said religious scholar Maulavi Momin.
Statistics show that there are about 347 schools operating in Paktika with 333 schools without proper buildings.
Currently 156,000 students are enrolled at schools in Paktika, including 30,000 girls.
Comment