BINA Shah’s article on education (Nov 6) is accurate as the writer is herself involved with an educational project in Sindh that targets children who are currently out of school.

At least seven million children in the age bracket between five and nine are not attending school. With the increase in population every year, the increase in the number of illiterate children cannot be ignored.

Writers, welfare societies and organisations providing social services are contributing to help overcome the growing problem of uneducated children in Pakistan.

Gender discrimination that was vibrant in the past has deprived girls from getting an education. In the rural and remote areas of each province, there are restrictions on girls from getting an education.

Education today has become a lethal weapon against poverty, unemployment and economic disparity. It is shocking that we are still in the process of thinking whether to educate a child or not. This evolution period must be discarded as early as possible. Social stigmas like child marriages must be removed and new ideas should be encouraged.

Many parents avoid sending their children to schools when they find them lacking in basic needs like clean drinking water and toilets and the buildings to be dilapidated and thus risky.

The dropout rate of school-children has added fuel to the fire, as a large number of dropouts is causing heavy losses to the country’s economy.

Only a stable and strong economy based on good education can elevate the standard of life and improve the per capita income of the people.

M. SALEEM ANSARI
Karachi