Gender disparity persists in education

In the rugged terrain of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Dir Upper district, the promise of equal educational opportunities for girls remains largely unfulfilled even in 2026.

Official records reveal a glaring imbalance: while girls constitute more than half the population, educational facilities for female students lag significantly behind those for boys, forcing many to study in substandard conditions or drop out entirely.

According to data from the District Education Office, the district has a total of 1,017 schools from primary to higher secondary levels, serving 264,093 students. Of these, 707 are boys' or mixed schools enrolling 141,584 students, including 57,612 girls. In contrast, only 310 dedicated girls' schools cater to 64,892 female students. At the higher level, boys benefit from four degree colleges, compared to just one girls' college. This disparity persists despite claims of government attention to female education.

District population stands at 1,083,566, with women numbering over 535,000. Experts argue that, under a uniform education policy, the current infrastructure falls short of demand. The gap is particularly evident in higher education, where access for girls remains severely limited.

Local leaders have announced initiatives to address the shortfall. Provincial Assembly member Malik Gul Ibrahim and Tehsil Chairman Larjam Abdul Latif Khan claimed on social media that the provincial government has released Rs139.9 million for two separate girls' degree colleges in Larjam-Darora and Asheri Dara. The colleges will initially operate in rented buildings. PTI lawmakers, including Member National Assembly Sahibzada Sabghatullah, MPA Malik Gul Ibrahim, Anwar Khan Advocate, and Yamin Khan, hailed the move as a revolutionary step toward improving girls' access to higher education.

However, ground realities tell a different story. In several constituencies, approved projects remain stalled. In PK-12, MPA Yamin Khan's approved girls' degree college has yet to materialize. The area has 17 boys' high schools and six higher secondary schools for boys, against 14 high and only two higher secondary schools for girls. Similar imbalances appear in PK-13 under MPA Muhammad Anwar Khan Advocate, where boys enjoy 16 high and five higher secondary schools compared to 12 high and four higher secondary for girls.

Flood damage continues to exacerbate the crisis. Thousands of children affected by the 2010 and 2022 floods still attend classes in the open. In Malik Gul Ibrahim's PK-11 constituency in Dir Kohistan, at least 10 primary and middle schools damaged by floods, including schools in Besho, Pangas, Markhani, Maidan Patrak, Barikot, Bada, and Reman Kass, have not been rebuilt. Students sit under the sky, exposed to harsh weather.

In parts of Tehsil Kalkot, from Biar onward to the Kumrat valley, no middle or high schools exist for girls. The constituency has just four girls' high schools and one higher secondary school overall, against nine high and six higher secondary for boys, mostly concentrated in Larjam.

School Monitoring Officer Malik Ashfaq Muhammad acknowledged past gains under the PTI government's quantity education policy introduced around 2014. The approach emphasized expanding infrastructure through Parent-Teacher Councils (PTCs), which transparently utilized funds for additional classrooms, boundary walls, washrooms, and water supply schemes at lower costs than traditional contracting systems. Teacher punctuality improved, ghost attendance declined, and communities became more involved.

The policy helped accommodate growing enrollment without immediate massive new construction, easing financial pressure on the government for a decade. Furniture was provided, but in many overcrowded schools with limited space, 20 to 30 per cent of students still sit on the floor or tat mats instead of benches.

Malik Ashfaq noted that while the quantity-focused approach yielded positive results initially, it now requires upgrades. Existing schools need more classrooms built on available land, and new facilities must be constructed to meet rising demand. Furniture shortages persist in high-enrollment institutions.

Broader challenges in Dir Upper mirror provincial and national trends in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where cultural norms, remoteness, lack of female teachers, and inadequate transport often hinder girls' education, especially at post-primary levels. Studies in similar districts highlight patriarchy, early marriages, and poor infrastructure as persistent barriers.

Local education officials stress the urgent need for more girls' middle and high schools in remote valleys, reconstruction of flood-damaged buildings, and upgrading of existing facilities. Without accelerated action, the gender gap in literacy and higher education will widen, limiting economic and social progress for the district's large female population.

As Dir Upper enters another academic year, thousands of girls continue their struggle for basic schooling. The newly announced colleges offer hope, but closing the deep infrastructure divide will require sustained commitment beyond political claims. Equal access to education remains not just a policy goal but a pressing necessity for the district's future.