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| India-Pakistan |
| Troubled youth |
| 2015-07-13 |
| [DAWN] SINDH is home to a large youth population that is utterly frustrated, bitter and angry. They are also an incredible social, economic and psychological burden for their struggling families and impoverished communities. The tale is similar all across rural Sindh. Farm workers who tend land owned by someone else aspire to educate their sons and daughters so that they may lead more comfortable lives. They put them in government primary schools -- usually the only option in a village -- and hope for the best. These days many girls are put through middle and high school if they are nearby. After that, only a very small percentage may go on to study while the rest are kept home to contribute to the household income through embroidery. The boys are usually pushed all the way through matriculation and intermediate exams. Parents strive to ensure uniforms and stationery are paid for. Despite their best efforts, the results are poor given the state of government schools. Teachers rarely attend or seldom hold regular classes. If they do teach punctually, their method is normally so dull that students lose interest. If students are motivated enough on their own or are monitored by their parents, they pick up a thing or two through self study. Otherwise, most end up with a certificate and without any knowledge or practical skills. By the intermediate level, the student is too jaded and the family too exhausted to go further. So education stops there. Now, both student and parents expect to reap the benefit of this long trial. They aspire to a government job or a visa to Dubai, Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... or Iran where earnings are high. For the ordinary farmer, both are difficult propositions. Government jobs are not available without substantial bribes they can't afford or political reach they don't have. Likewise, going abroad is a debt-creating, back-breaking affair that only very few choose. Jobs at private companies are hard to come by anywhere except Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... where some factory work is available. But then, many families fear Karachi's violent streets and in any case the earnings wouldn't be sufficient to send money home after paying for living costs in the city. |
| Posted by:Fred |