Swat has been considered a centre of quality education since it was a princely state long ago. The first-ever school was established in Saidu Sharif, the capital of the former state, in 1922. There followed the opening of many more schools for both boys and girls.

Soon after Swat was merged with Pakistan, former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto announced the establishment of university and the board of intermediate and secondary education in the National Education Policy in 1972.

Since then, the establishment of a university in Swat had been a demand of the people of Swat. Though the university was established in 2010, its campus is yet to be set up in Charbagh locality.

Professor Sultan-i-Rome, who wrote a famous history book, Swat State (1915-1969), told Dawn that people of Swat got education even during the former state’s time and that the then king of Swat Mian Gul Abdul Wadud established the first-ever school in Saidu Sharif in 1922 while the first-ever girls school was established in 1926 in the same area.

He said the demand for education had increased and by the end of 1930, there were more than 12 schools in the state, which were imparting education to hundreds of students.

“After some neighbouring districts raised reservations about education in Swat, the construction of more schools was stopped,” he said, adding that after 1940, the state again took steps to establish more schools in the area.

Dr Rome said when Mian Gul Jehanzeb Abdul Haq became waali (ruler) of the state in 1949, he expedited the process and established so many educational institutions, including the famous Government Post Graduate Jehanzeb College, which came into being in 1952.

“If we compare educational institutions of Swat with those of neighbouring districts like Chitral, Buner and Dir, and even with those of the provincial capital, the former are far better. They are imparting quality education,” he said.

The site of the University of Swat’s new campus in Charbagh. — Dawn

According to him, there is a need to establish more educational institutions to cater to the area needs as the existing schools and colleges have limited space for students.

Dr Rome said the university had been a demand of the people of Swat since 1972 when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto made a promise on it to the people during a visit to Swat in October 1972.

“Before the visit, the government announced the National Education Policy in March 1972, where there was reflection about the establishment of the university and intermediate board in Swat,” he said, adding that it was the need of the hour to establish more schools and colleges along with a university to meet local population’s demands.

After the area was purged of militants, the government announced the establishment of the University of Swat on May 29, 2010, which formally came into existence on July 7, 2010. Two buildings with limited space were provided by the provincial higher education department but the university’s administration rented two more buildings to meet the requirements.

The university began its journey with 180 students enrolled in seven departments but now there are more than 2,000 students are getting education in 18 departments. Land has been acquired for the university’ own campus in Charbagh, where a few days ago, the current vice chancellor, Professor Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, formally inaugurated the construction work of 800 meters long access road, three-kilometers internal roads and green built, which will be built at a cost Rs127 million in 18 months.

Speaking on the occasion, the vice chancellor said indeed, they were making a history to unveil this mega project.

“It gives me immense pleasure to inaugurate the construction work of the future project of the university’s own campus,” he said, adding that there were two centres of education in the past, one was in Taxila and the second one was in Swat.

Professor Jehanzeb said Swat had long been a seat of learning and that the University of Swat had been taking steps since its establishment to impart quality education to local residents.

According to the university’s official, the provincial government has approved Rs1,500 million for Phase 1 of the proposed plan of the university and Rs100 million of the amount has already been released. During the current fiscal year, the provincial government has committed to offering Rs300 million for the construction of university’s own campus.

Maryam Bibi, a student at the university’s department of Media and Communication Studies, said the establishment of university was a good sign for those female students whose parents were not allowing their daughters to go out of the district for getting higher education.

“Had the university not been there, I would have pursued higher education as a private candidate instead of a regular one,” she said, expressing the hope that the university would play its due role in imparting education in the region.

Shahid Khan, another student of the university, said he was a resident of Shangal district and belonged to a poor family.

“It is not possible for me to get education in Peshawar or somewhere else,” he said.

The student said his parent had been paying his fees with a lot of difficulties and that studying outside their region might cause more financial problems to them.

Currently, students are enrolled in four different campuses of the University of Swat, which are situated in long distances from one another. Main campus set up in a rented building is situated on GT Road at Odigram, some four kilometers from the main Mingora city.

Two campuses, including Wadudia campus and College of Home Sciences, are situated near Jehanzeb College, while another is in a rented building in Saidu Sharif.

Both students and staff are facing difficulties and educationists are saying when all four university campuses will shift to their own campus in Charbagh, which will probably be completed in the coming five years, the university will enhance the city’s image as a real seat of learning.

Published in Dawn, August 31, 2014