BHAKKAR: A group discussion revealed that merger of Masjid Maktab schools with government schools arranged by Community Action Group (CAG) – a district based budget tracking forum- at the office of Awam Dost Foundation here the other day.
The members of Community Action Groups reviewed districts education budget, especially with gender perspective. Community Action Group substantiated its stance with the help of detailed facts and figures. It was pathetic to learn that 66 per cent of education funds were allocated to the boys against a pittance of 34 per cent for the girls.
They urged the Punjab government to immediately correct imbalance between girls’ and boys’ education allocations. The group vowed to campaign for bringing girls’ budget at par with that of the boys and sought media’s support for highlighting the noble cause.
They said that the merger of Masjid Maktab Schools with government schools instead of benefitting education had actually harmed it by resulting in decrease in number of schools. Similarly, the members of community made their point that co-education introduced in middle and high schools had badly affected enrolment as the girls have begun to leave such schools in large numbers.
Not only the students but the female teachers also desist from discharging their duties in these schools due to chauvinistic attitude of their male colleagues. Almost all of the participants expressed their anger over spending of billions of rupees on Danish Schools and Laptop scheme.
