University of Shangla: A promise unfulfilled

On 30 August last year, Chief Minister Mehmood Khan in his speech in Puran along with Member of Provincial Assembly, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and labor KP Shaukat Yousafzai, Abdul Muneem, Sadeed Ur Rahman, and Waqar Khan announced that he will upgrade the current University of Swat Shangla Campus into its own Standalone University which will be called “The University of Shangla”, build 2 colleges. Upon hearing the undergraduate students of Shangla got very excited and hopeful for future studies in the district and the facilities it will provide to the surrounding Tehsils of Besham, Puran, Chakesar, and others.

Upon completing their college studies, local students were not able to get a chance for their undergraduate studies or if they did they had to sacrifice the quality of education. Shangla campus brought a change for a good scenario in undergraduate education for students because they could not complete their degree for a couple of reasons. First of all, there was no university in Shangla district, A district that has over 1 million people who didn’t have a university to attend to and continue their education.

Some people send their children to outer cities like Swat, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Abbottabad for their studies which were expensive and far. With the university of Swat Shangla Campus, students can easily complete their undergrad education at their homes at their ease. But being a campus and not a full-fledged standalone university Shangla Campus lacks its land for the construction of Blocks for Administration, Classes, Libraries, Hostels, and other integral buildings for students to receive education and be accommodated.

It has been more than 5 months and Chief Minister has not considered any plan for the University of Shangla. Meanwhile building 2 Universities in his Home District of Swat. This act has turned students very angry. They took social media to remind him of his promise and to start work on the university’s construction and to bring new departments. They questioned CM that “Isn’t education the right of the people of Shangla?”.They demanded CM to order the construction for the university as soon as possible or else they will have no choice other than to protest.

The writer can be reached at ibrarhussainalp@gmail.com.