Shumaila* would often skim through my books and try to figure out what they said by looking at the pictures. I remember when she shyly asked me, "Ap mujhe parhaingi? Mujhe bohot shauq hai parhne ka." (Will you teach me? I really want to study.) She couldn't go to school because she was engaged and soon to be married. Her mother, who worked for us as a maid, didn't have the faintest clue that her daughter wanted to become a teacher herself. For her, a 5th grader was the closest thing she found to a school. It was only a few years later that I met her again. This time she greeted me with confidence and told me she is done with her matric. Several years have passed since I last met her.
But this post is not about people like Shumaila. This is about those who didn't get the same chance.
My mother is handling her own school in a rather low-income area in Karachi since the past 27 years. Last week she came to me with a case she found too pathetic to be true. The case of Farwa*. Farwa is expecting to turn 20 this year. Some years ago she was diagnosed with Tuberculosis and thus dropped out of school before she could finish 9th grade. Upon recovery, she joined school again, hoping to pick up where she left off. She applied for the Secondary School Certificate examination this year and got her enrollment form without any difficulty. However, the school received a letter soon after, stating that Farwa is not eligible to sit for the exam anymore since she turns 20 this year. To be exact, she crossed the age limit by around 25 days. The principal specially paid a visit to the Board Office to discuss Farwa's case, but in vain. Sadly, she was not the only one. Apparently, "better late than never" doesn't apply here. According to one of the representatives at the Board Office, Farwa might still be able to sit for the exam if she sits for the general group as a private candidate, but that too is a bleak possibility.
This age-limit was introduced last year, and was outrightly challenged by most private schools. Many students were left with no option. However, the rule still remains intact. The question is not just limited to students like Farwa who only missed out due to unforseen circumstances. What about people who only later realize the importance of education? Had this rule been implemented years ago, Shumaila would have still been cleaning houses. My own mother sat for her Matriculation Exams after reaching the age of 20. If she hadn't taken that step, I wouldn't be sitting here typing this down.
We talk about the problems related to illiteracy in Pakistan. We talk about how everyone deserves an equal opportunity to seek education. I fail to understand the logic behind this rule. On what basis can we judge that a person is not "eligible" to be educated? Why should we even have a criteria in the first place? Wasn't education supposed to be EVERYONE'S right? If only we become a bit more considerate about this issue, there will be more Shumaila's and no Farwa's. There should be no "right age" to become educated.
*Names have been changed to maintain privacy.
But this post is not about people like Shumaila. This is about those who didn't get the same chance.
My mother is handling her own school in a rather low-income area in Karachi since the past 27 years. Last week she came to me with a case she found too pathetic to be true. The case of Farwa*. Farwa is expecting to turn 20 this year. Some years ago she was diagnosed with Tuberculosis and thus dropped out of school before she could finish 9th grade. Upon recovery, she joined school again, hoping to pick up where she left off. She applied for the Secondary School Certificate examination this year and got her enrollment form without any difficulty. However, the school received a letter soon after, stating that Farwa is not eligible to sit for the exam anymore since she turns 20 this year. To be exact, she crossed the age limit by around 25 days. The principal specially paid a visit to the Board Office to discuss Farwa's case, but in vain. Sadly, she was not the only one. Apparently, "better late than never" doesn't apply here. According to one of the representatives at the Board Office, Farwa might still be able to sit for the exam if she sits for the general group as a private candidate, but that too is a bleak possibility.
This age-limit was introduced last year, and was outrightly challenged by most private schools. Many students were left with no option. However, the rule still remains intact. The question is not just limited to students like Farwa who only missed out due to unforseen circumstances. What about people who only later realize the importance of education? Had this rule been implemented years ago, Shumaila would have still been cleaning houses. My own mother sat for her Matriculation Exams after reaching the age of 20. If she hadn't taken that step, I wouldn't be sitting here typing this down.
We talk about the problems related to illiteracy in Pakistan. We talk about how everyone deserves an equal opportunity to seek education. I fail to understand the logic behind this rule. On what basis can we judge that a person is not "eligible" to be educated? Why should we even have a criteria in the first place? Wasn't education supposed to be EVERYONE'S right? If only we become a bit more considerate about this issue, there will be more Shumaila's and no Farwa's. There should be no "right age" to become educated.
*Names have been changed to maintain privacy.
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