Pakistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world. The picture of educational condition is grim in Pakistan. At most all the urban areas of Pakistan are replete with developed institutes, universities but in spite of this most of the citizens seem to be unemployed. The situation is also especially alarming in rural areas due to social and cultural obstacles.
Girls of rural areas are facing many problems regarding their studies. There are several issues and causes of education problems for girls in rural areas of Pakistan.
Inaccessibility of education in Pakistan, especially in backward areas is a result of distance, child labor, scarcity of teachers, local leaders, frequent policy changes and fear of losing power. In KPK and Balochistan women are severely bound by cultural constraints and prejudices. They are involved in reproductive and productive and community work for 14 to 18 hours. Women which are the 51% on the country population, have been forced to just bear children for their husband and remain within their houses. In Balochistan, female literacy rate stands between 15 to 25%.
In backward areas, girls schools are far away from their homes, many families cannot afford traveling expenses for their children. Separate schools for girls are not available. Girls are living under the fear of extremist. In KPK militant groups have blasted thousands of schools because they are against women education , they have given threats to several governments and private girls school for stopping girls education.
Parents favour the education of their sons over their daughters because they think that boys are the future earning hands of their family while girls education is not necessarily desirable.
Owing to all these circumstances, women have lost their employment and they are unaware about this fact that they can also play an important role in the development of the country.
Child labour is also a basic issue in Pakistan. Millions of children under age of 14 are labourer at brick kiln factories, carpet weaving, industry, agriculture industries and domestic service across Pakistan.
Frequent change in education policies is also an issue regarding education. Government has announced different plans and policies to promote literacy among women, they have announced various programmes to achieve its educational objectives but they have been unable to translate their words into action.
I wrap up my discussion with these remarks that our country is facing many
social, cultural, economic and political obstacles. We should find out the
solution of these problems. Policies of education should be changed and we
should bring change in local level through awareness and practical action. We
should spread awareness among people that there is need of equal access of
education among male and female.