The Value of an Education

The jeep carried me high; high above the valley of nothingness, high to the school in a place of dreams that I was about to visit. Chapurson valley is the most northerly population in Pakistan, almost sitting astride the Afghan border. There probably wasn???t a more remote location for the Government to take an interest in education, yet this was where I was heading now.

F.G. Middle school in Karmin was a fifty-fifty partnership between the local community and the Federal Government. The people are Ismaeli Muslims and speak an unwritten language called Wakki. On showcase today was a perfect example of what can happen when a community is involved and motivated in the education of its own.

The school sat square astride the center of the valley, as I wandered down from the road above. Clouds broiled along the surrounding peaks and a stormy dark menace waded down towards me. It might not have been the best weather, but it was surely the most beautiful location.

Like at the Aga Khan Education Service (AKES) School in Garelth the year before, this school was a part of the legendary Hunza kingdom. Not only did the students have an opinion, they weren???t at all shy to speak English. The walls carried all the familiar wall-charts and learning aids I???d seen elsewhere in Hunza and there was a self-confidence in the students that lacked in most parts of Pakistan. Needless to say enrollment was at a 100%. This school was a product of itself and its story is worth telling.

In 1994, a Government school was built in Karmin village to cater for 140 students, but with only one teacher. After five years, the local Jamaat (or village council) became tired of the lack of progress and sought funding for a second fee based school which they built next door. Time passed and the government took a renewed interest in the FG school and two more teachers were appointed. Standards rose and the community saw the folly of maintaining two schools when one would suffice. In March 2006, the second school was closed and its five community teachers merged with those of the Government school boosting its ranks to eight. An EU grant from the second school was also transferred to the Government one and the Aga Khan Education Service offered technical assistance, training and support soon after.

Despite being in one of the remotest locations of all Pakistan, the community showed what was possible when people see the value of an education and the motivation to improve exists. A school management committee (from the community) overseas the running of the school and the culture of involvement has rubbed off on the students. One month ago, the students approached the teachers to ask if they could form a student body. Through the supervision of the teachers the students have written a school conduct code and are responsible for keeping games, activity timetables and the smooth running of the premises.

In 2008, the Government has promised to send nine new teachers to Karmin School and the community is continually agitating for better facilities. It???s a sharp contrast to the resigned attitude of the Government school I visited in Verokey Cheema (Punjab) and the kind of attitude that needs to be inoculated into the rest of the country.

The Last Village in Pakistan

What would you do in the last village in the last place of Pakistan.

Mohammad Hussain, (F.G. Primary School, Shitmerck)

Before I left Chapurson, I was fortunate to meet two other teachers from near the village of Zhodkhon at the farthest end of the valley. Mohammad Hussain gave me another perspective on education in the area and in Pakistan. In his village of Shitmerck, people are poor and could not afford to send their children to the AKES School nearby. In 2004, the Government woke up to the fact and a small Federal run primary school was built. Despite fees of only twenty rupees per month, only 36 students attend classes and enrollment is low. Parent???s say they cannot afford the fees but the real problem lies in the value from education they feel their offspring receive.

Not everyone can be as enthusiastic as the populace of Karmin and the extreme location and lack of outside influence in Chapurson made me realize something. If the return from an investment in education cannot be seen by the people then why should they see its importance? The number of people with higher education degrees in the entire valley can be counted on one hand - and even named! They are usually doctors and lawyers and to the greater community, the amount they???ve so far reinvested in the area is minimal.

As people achieve a higher education they usually gain greater skills and money to reinvest in their local area. As the number of 1st grade students increase so do the number who graduate university and life in the area gradually improves. Other people notice that improvement and see the advantage of sending their child to school and thus the cycle continues.

Given their location, the motivation and determination of the people of Chapurson to educate their own is quite amazing. Yet, even in that environment there are still those who don???t see the value of an education and this is the case across the country. Traditional, rural Pakistan is in many ways as remote as Chapurson. There is little contact with the outside world and where there is, many communities lack the skills and proficiencies to compete effectively. When life depends on what happens tomorrow, there is little incentive to invest in a long term education. Education is a slow process and it takes time for roots to take hold and people to prosper, but when a foundation is laid and people gradually see the benefits, anything is possible.

Conclusion

Organisations like ActionAid help run and inspire other groups to run schools and motivate (and keep motivated!) communities like the ones in Chapurson. In all the school???s I???ve visited in Pakistan, it???s shown through and through that when the value of an education is seen, people will find any means possible to make it a reality. Be it the gypsies of Lahore (link), the brick kiln workers (link) of Gujanwala or the mentally retarded children (link) of Jhelum.

Further Needs

F.G Middle School Karmin has the right attitude and drive to make the most of any investment. They only need the right push to help them meet their goals.

The school is currently looking for investment to establish a Science Laboratory, a Library and a Computer Lab. They are also searching for a native English teacher on a temporary basis.