Why Are Tribal Students Left Behind In Higher Education? A Cry For Equal Opportunities

(MENAFN- Tribal News Network) A few days ago, a close friend of mine from the former FATA region came to visit me. She seemed extremely sad. I asked her,“Why have you come to my area, and why do you look so downhearted?” She replied that she had come to inquire about admissions to the universities here. I felt a surge of happiness, thinking that pursuing higher education should be a cause for celebration, not sadness.

However, her story quickly dashed my hopes. She told me that she had visited two universities, only to be turned away by the administration at both places. They both gave the same response: "We have limited seats that don't even accommodate all the students from our own area, so we cannot offer places to students from the tribal districts. Even when seats are available, it is extremely difficult for students from FATA to secure them."

Hearing this, I felt a deep sense of worry for her, and many questions began to crowd my mind. Why can't the students from tribal districts get an education in these universities? Why are there no colleges or universities in their own regions? Why are they deprived of the right to higher education? Education is a basic right and a necessity for all, so why are the people of tribal districts being denied this fundamental right?

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It is often said that people from the tribal areas do not value education. But, that's not the whole truth. There are many in these regions eager to educate their children. They manage to get their kids through high school, but when it comes to college or university, there simply aren't any in their districts. These children, or their parents, are then forced to send them to cities for higher education. Unfortunately, even in the cities, these students are often denied admission or have to compete for a very limited number of spots.

Universities typically have limited seats in each department, often between 40 to 50. Local students from the same city fill these seats first, and students from tribal districts are left waiting for years. In many cases, they waste one or even two years just waiting for admission.

Even when some tribal students do manage to secure a place, they face numerous hardships. They have to live far away from their families, bear the costs of staying in hostels, and navigate the challenges of being away from home. The expenses for a local student are much less compared to what a student from the tribal areas has to spend. The cost of education for them is almost double.

Think about it - if there were colleges and universities in these tribal areas, would these children have to face so many difficulties? Absolutely, not. They would have the same access to education as the children in cities.

We need to think about this seriously. We must provide equal educational opportunities to the children of the tribal districts. Colleges and universities should be established in their areas. And if they seek admission at universities outside their regions, they should be given the same chance as local students. This way, children from the tribal districts will also have the opportunity to study, grow, and contribute to the development of themselves and the country.

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