Education Awaran

Education Awaran

Introduction

It is generally recognised that education plays a vital role in the socio-economic development of the society. Unfortunately educational facilities are very limited in Awaran. The education sector in the area is very much neglected due to unavailability of teachers, female teachers in particular. This is a major problem in this sector. The literacy rate is very low. One model school for girls is functioning at Awaran. Its services are comparatively better than other schools. Female students are enrolled in the boys middle and high schools due to unavailability of separate girls school.

		Number of Pupils
Enrolment (in public sector)		1995 m/f	1996 m/f
Madrassas		n/a	n/a
Mosque School		n/a	n/a
Primary School		7,225/2,477	7,369/2,635
No. of Teachers		593	608
Middle Schools		1,318/87	1,559/100
High School		590/14	583/24
Source:	BEMIS

Government School System

In Awaran all the schools are owned by the provincial government. At district level, a District Education Officer (DEO) supervises the activities of all the schools. The schools can be divided into three categories: primary, middle, and high. There used to be mosque schools in the district but now these schools have been given the status of primary schools.

Primary Schools

The primary schools comprise six classes up to grade 5: Kachi, Pakki, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th. It has been observed that many schools have been established on political grounds and the teachers were also appointed on political basis. The majority of teachers are not working regularly though they maintain an attendance register to show their regular presence in the school. In each class there are about 25 to 30 students. It has also been observed that some school buildings are used by influential persons of the area. At present there are 160 boys and 20 girls primary schools in Awaran district. The overall satisfaction level about primary school education is low.

Apart from government primary schools, one primary school is functioning in the private sector.

Vocational Training

No vocational training institution exists at present in the district. There is much demand for a vocational institute to train the youths in various trades.

Middle Schools

There are 13 boys’ middle schools in the district but not a single regular middle school for girls. Only a model middle school for girls is functioning at Awaran, providing satisfactory education. The standard of this school is comparatively better than the other government middle schools. Most of the boys middle schools have enrolled girls as their students. A middle school comprises 4 to 8 rooms.

High Schools

There are only 10 boys’ high schools and not a single girls’ high school. The girl students are compelled to take admission in the boys high schools for getting secondary education. Ideally, the building of a high school comprises 5 to 8 rooms.

Intermediate College

No college exists in Awaran district.

School Administration

All the primary, middle, and high schools are supervised by a Head Master. In most of the primary schools only two teachers are posted, one of them functioning as Head Master. In middle and high schools this job is assigned to a senior teacher having the administrative knowledge.

School Buildings

The school building of a primary school comprises two rooms and a veranda. No toilet facility is available in these schools. The construction of buildings is very poor. There are many shelterless primary schools in the district where students have to sit under the sky. The buildings of middle and high schools are in a slightly better condition. They have a veranda and compound walls. Toilet facilities are also available in these schools. These buildings are properly maintained.

GO/NGO/private, etc. involvement in Education Development

All the schools in the area are under the control of the Department of Education. Only one primary school is functioning in the private sector at Awaran.

			Local Govt.	Prov. Govt.	Fed. Govt.	NGO	Private	Internat. Donor	Total
Mosque Schools			-	x	-	-	-	-	n/a
Primary Schools			-	xxx	-	-	x	x	180
No. of Teachers			-	xxx	-	-	-	-	608
Middle Schools			-	xxx	-	-	-	-	14
High Schools			-	xxx	-	-	-	-	10
Legend:	- x xx xxx	no involvement minor involvement substantial involvement major involvement

Conclusion and major Development Issues

Education is one of the most powerful instruments of socio-cultural change. Awaran district has very limited educational opportunities, especially for girls. It was observed that most of the teachers are untrained and unqualified. Their appointment, in most of the cases, has been made on political grounds. Similarly the location of a many a schools is selected on political basis without proper planning. There is no proper supervisory and guidance system for schools. Most of the teachers are engaged in other activities and visit their school occasionally. This attitude of teachers reduces interest among the students and, consequently, they are less interested in attending school. Establishment of Parents, Teachers, and Students Association (PTSA) can help improving the deteriorating standard of education. Proper teacher training and an incentive system are urgently called for.

There is no college in the district nor a vocational training institute. Therefore the youth of the district is facing problems in getting higher education. There is no high school for girls and the only girls middle school is at Awaran, hence, depriving the girls of equal educational opportunities. This may be one of the major reasons for unavailability of educated girls for the PM’s Programme for Primary Health Care and Family Planning. Also for opening new schools educated women would be necessary.

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