NEED:
$6,000
Diamer High School
l l l l l
Territory Skeptical About Education Aid
I
n Pakistan’s conservative district of
Diamer 72% of children age 3 to 16 are
out of school and the majority are girls.
Even those children who do attend school are
far below the national average of reading and
writing comprehension. Classrooms are few
and far between, and the Diamer high school
stands empty and damaged, not fit for the
students who dream of an education.
These dismal numbers are not for lack of
trying by groups and NGOs to educate the
children of Diamer. Construction on the
school began in 2011 and classes were held
for a short time, but organizers failed to get
the blessing of prominent mullahs (religious
leaders) and community officials in the
region. The disconnect in priorities, impres-
sion that outsiders were forcing their way into
the region, and reluctance from conservative
leaders to allow children to attend the schools
meant the high school remained empty and
fell into disrepair.
After meeting a young teacher from
Diamer who taught 20-30 children in her
home at a teacher training last year, Saidullah
Baig, the director of Central Asia Institute–
Gilgit, learned there was a desire to educate
the children, but no organization had effec-
tively understood the specific needs of the
community. Saidullah realized that educating
children in Diamer may be possible after all,
and he requested a meeting with the ulama
CentralAsiaInstitute.org
(Muslim scholars) to listen to their needs.
They were eager to find ways to educate
their children and use the high school, but
they were unwilling to compromise their
traditions.
Over the course of many conversations,
Saidullah explained that the textbooks used
in schools would not be from abroad, but
the same books and materials issued by the
Pakistani government. He assured them that
their traditions would be respected and there
would be trained female teachers to educate
the girls. They have already approved three
home schools in their respective neighbor-
hoods to teach the younger children and help
the older students catch up to their respective
grades. The next step is to restore the high
school to its former prominence and find
female teachers so the older students can
finish their education and prepare for college
entrance exams.
This is an incredible opportunity for the
children of Diamer, but the high school is
nowhere near ready, with peeling paint and
cracked windows. Saidullah has asked for
$6,000 to repair the windows, give the out-
side a fresh coat of paint, order new desks and
supplies, and to install a new water system.
When these repairs are complete the students
will finally have a safe place to learn. This next
generation of children will learn new skills
and will help their families out of poverty. n
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