EDUCATION DILEMMA: With limited financial means, many families in the country are compelled to prioritise necessities, such as food and shelter, over education, with children often working to sustain their families. As a result, their education is affected which perpetuates a vicious cycle of poverty and illiteracy. Substantial investment in education is necessary, particularly in under-resourced areas, along with efforts to promote gender equality and poverty reduction initiatives. Improving the quality of education in schools, along with addressing language barriers, is also critical to promoting better learning outcomes for all students.

Ansar Hussain
Karachi

SINCERE TEACHERS: Teachers are spiritual parents and role models for students. Unfortunately, sincere teachers are hard to find nowadays. Most of the teachers are only concerned about completing the syllabus. They do not provide proper guidance to the students to facilitate their path towards a bright future. I have seen teachers who want to earn money and try to cover the syllabus in a rush without ensuring understanding of the subjects among their students. It is the responsibility of teachers to help their students choose the right field for themselves.

Zulqarnain Bhutto
Hyderabad

THALASSAEMIA: Among the many problems people in Balochistan face, the prevalence of beta-thalassaemia is a serious concern as it is a lifelong illness that can result in serious health problems and even death. There are an estimated 2,000 children with beta-thalassaemia in the province. These children are at a high risk of acquiring transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) due to their need of regular blood transfusions for survival. The number of infected children is increasing because of parents who were carriers, but had never been tested. The government should arrange campaigns and projects to spread awareness among the people and make relevant testing necessary before marriage.

Abu Bakar Usman
Turbat

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2023