MOHMAND: Residents of Ambar, the merged district of Mohmand, have appealed to the provincial government to establish a separate college for Ambar as students have no proper transport facility to visit the far-flung areas to get their education.
A picture of a student walking in the scorching sun and heat has exposed the educational deprivations of Ambar. The young student is forced to walk for several kilometers simply because there is no proper public transport available from Ambar to Sarlara and Zubinder. This scene clearly reflects the lack of educational facilities in the area. Ambar has a population of about 90,000, but not a single government college has been established here to date. As a result, hundreds of students have to travel long distances every day for inter and degree education. Daily torture
Local students say that walking in temperatures exceeding 40 degrees in summer is a life-threatening task. Fog and rain in winter, while heat and sunshine in summer, both seasons become a test for students. Many students leave their education incomplete due to inability to bear the travel expenses or family constraints. The situation is even more difficult for female students, as parents avoid sending them to college due to the long distance travel. A student said: “We leave home at 6 am and return at 5 pm. 5-6 hours are wasted in the journey itself. There is no time left for the library, lab or sports.” Educational gap, future at risk
According to education experts, education is the foundation of the development of any society. In a large and populated area like Ambar, the absence of a college is a major educational gap. Due to this, the talents of the youth are being wasted and the area is lagging behind in the race for development. Local social leaders say that if the youth do not have access to quality and easy educational facilities, the dream of prosperity of the area cannot be fulfilled. The absence of a college is not only affecting education but also limiting employment opportunities. Locals’ strong demand
Ambar elders, teachers, students and parents have strongly demanded that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, provincial education minister, elected MPAs and district administration approve a government degree college in Ambar as soon as possible. They said that this would not just be the establishment of a building but would guarantee the bright future of Ambar, the development of the youth and the prosperity of the entire region. Locals promised that if the college is approved, the locals are ready to provide land and other support. Locals are of the view that “education is the fundamental right of every child, and the youth of Ambar are equally entitled to this right. We cannot wait any longer.”
Read also: Locals’ express resentment over PTI performance in Mohmand
