November 6, 2025
By Iqra Manzoor
LAHORE
Girls in Upper Kohistan continue to bear the brunt of government negligence, with nearly 60 percent of primary and middle schools for girls remaining closed due to a severe shortage of teachers, widespread absenteeism, and administrative inefficiency.
Administrative failures exposed
“I paid a surprise visit to the office of the district education officer (women) and found her and most of the staff absent from duty,” additional deputy commissioner Khurram Khan Jadoon told the media.
He said the inspection had been ordered by Deputy Commissioner Tariq Ali Khan, and that the DC would forward a detailed account to the commissioner of Hazara division and eventually to the chief secretary for necessary legal and administrative action.
“The DEO was absent from her office, and the overall state of affairs there was disappointing. I have already submitted a comprehensive report highlighting deficiencies in the women’s education department and recommending remedial steps,” Jadoon said.
According to the official, the situation of girls’ education in Upper Kohistan is alarming, as 248 of 354 sanctioned teaching posts remain vacant, leaving only 106 positions filled. “The entire district has only one high school for girls,” he noted.
He added that out of 111 government primary and middle schools for girls, only 48 are functional, while the remaining institutions are either closed or non-operational, depriving hundreds of girls of their constitutional right to education.
Out of eight sanctioned posts of sub-divisional education officers (SDEOs) and additional SDEOs, only two are currently filled. “We are conducting regular surprise inspections to determine the causes of inefficiency and take corrective action. Girls’ education cannot be neglected any further,” the ADC emphasized.
Girls’ education crisis a constitutional violation
Development practitioner and rights defender Tahira Abdullah condemned the state’s continued negligence toward girls’ education in Upper Kohistan, describing it as a violation of fundamental human rights and constitutional guarantees.
“Firstly, it is a violation of girls’ basic human right to compulsory, free, universal high school education at par with boys, as enshrined in Article 25-A (RTE) of Pakistan’s Constitution; UDHR 1948; UN-CRC (1990); and UN-CEDAW (which Pakistan ratified in 1996); secondly, absence of girls’ education leads to lack of remunerated employment opportunities for women; and eventually results in higher poverty rates as well as further gender inequality and gender injustice.”
She further warned that administrative failures are compounded by the province’s overall socio-economic lag.
“Pakhtunkhwa province – particularly Kohistan district – is already lagging behind in socio-economic development indicators, which is further exacerbated by women’s poverty, illiteracy, lack of education, especially in the rural areas.”
Abdullah also highlighted deep-rooted extremist and patriarchal influences as additional barriers.
“In Kohistan it is mainly high levels of extremism, orthodoxy, patriarchy, misogyny, VAWG, and parents’ well-founded fear of a strong militant backlash, that drives the low level of girls’ education – not just governance matters like shortage of teachers, absenteeism, and administrative failures. Hence, both these sets of factors need to be addressed urgently and simultaneously – especially the need for the government to provide extra protection and security to girls’ schools, women teachers and girl students.”
National education emergency declared
Amid growing concerns over Pakistan’s widening education gap, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif recently announced an “Education Emergency” to enroll nearly 26 million out-of-school children, pledging to transform Pakistan into one of the most educated nations in the world.
Speaking at the National Conference on Education Emergency in Islamabad, the Prime Minister emphasized his government’s resolve to tackle this crisis through urgent and coordinated measures.
He outlined his plan to enroll the large number of out-of-school children and highlighted his previous record in the education sector as Chief Minister of Punjab, recalling that he had successfully enrolled 90,000 children from brick kilns into schools and handed over 10,000 schools to the Punjab Daanish Authority, an initiative providing free, high-quality education and boarding facilities for underprivileged children.
However, education rights advocates warn that such declarations must translate into concrete, district-level action, particularly in regions like Upper Kohistan, where girls remain the most deprived.
Widening gender inequality and weak local governance
Echoing these concerns, Dr. Farzana Bari, academic and human rights activist, told Voicepk that the crisis in Upper Kohistan reflects a nationwide pattern of neglect and uneven development.
“Girls are being deprived of their fundamental right to education, not just in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kohistan, but across the country, particularly in Balochistan and interior Sindh,” she said. “Article 25-A of the Constitution clearly mandates free and compulsory education for all children up to the age of 16, yet no province has prioritized education in its budgetary allocations. Over 20 million children in Pakistan remain out of school, and nearly 60 percent of them are girls. In regions like Upper Kohistan, the situation is aggravated by entrenched tribal structures, radicalization, and deep-rooted patriarchal norms that discourage families from sending their daughters to school. Weak local governance further compounds the problem, district administrations are neither monitoring teachers nor engaging community elders to ensure girls’ enrollment.”
Dr. Bari warned of far-reaching socio-economic consequences.
“Pakistan’s development has always been uneven, and areas like Upper Kohistan are stark examples. The tribal system remains intact, and patriarchal values dominate social life. In such regions, the absence of teachers denies women even the most basic opportunities. When girls are deprived of education, a constitutional right, they become economically dependent and highly vulnerable. Without education, many cannot escape abusive marriages, make independent decisions, or rebuild their lives. Education is not just a right; it is a means of empowerment that can transform futures.”
She added that despite official claims of an “education emergency,” little meaningful action has been taken on the ground.
“The government’s declarations are largely symbolic. Since education has been devolved to the provinces under the 18th Amendment, provincial and district authorities must take responsibility, but there is no clear plan or policy framework to ensure access to education at the grassroots level. Policy statements exist, but remain unimplemented. Until concrete steps are taken, the crisis will persist.”
Local Realities: Expert Perspective
Adding to the discussion, Mehwish Mohib, a lawyer and activist from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, highlighted the social, economic, and infrastructural barriers that continue to obstruct girls’ education in Upper Kohistan.
“People in Upper Kohistan generally do not give importance to girls’ education. Once a girl reaches adulthood, families prefer to marry her off, often justified in religious terms. In contrast, boys are prioritized, especially amid rising inflation. Co-education is not accepted,” she said.
Mohib pointed out that poor roads and infrastructure discourage teachers from taking posts in the region. “Teachers are not facilitated, and low pay scales further dissuade them. How can education function under these conditions?”
She stressed the long-term social consequences. “Child marriages will persist, women will remain economically dependent, and health conditions will deteriorate due to lack of awareness. Women will continue to suffer because men dominate decision-making in their lives,” Mohib said.
Security concerns and militancy also impede access. “There is only one girls’ high school and no transportation facility. How can girls’ education be possible under these circumstances?”
She noted that cultural and patriarchal barriers prevent families from educating daughters. “Some families fear that education might lead girls to demand inheritance rights. These issues are not confined to Kohistan, they persist across KP. Child labour also keeps girls out of school, either in household chores or income-generating activities. It is the state’s responsibility to remove these obstacles. Strong, targeted policies can significantly improve education access, especially in KP,” she said.
Experts and rights advocates warn that without immediate structural reforms, increased budget allocation, and genuine political will, regions like Upper Kohistan will continue to lag behind, perpetuating cycles of gender inequality, poverty, and social exclusion. While the government has declared an “education emergency,” on-ground realities reveal a widening gap between promises and implementation. Until education becomes a living right rather than a distant policy goal, the daughters of Kohistan, and countless girls across Pakistan, will remain on the margins of progress.