By: Laiba Hussan and Attaullah Sangin
For over four decades, the Chechana Refugee Camp has been home to generations of Afghan refugees who fled conflict in their homeland. Today, it is also home to a silent crisis, the systematic exclusion of young girls from education.
According to data provided by Mr. Anayat Ullah, a UNHCR official with eight years of experience working in the camp, 60% of girls here receive no formal education whatsoever. Of the remaining 40%, nearly all are forced to drop out after the 5th grade due to economic hardship, cultural constraints, and a sheer lack of accessible facilities.
The nearest government school is 7 kilometers from the camp, a distance that is both financially and culturally prohibitive for most families.
A Father’s Anguish
Ismail, a long-term camp resident and father of three daughters, spoke exclusively to AAJ News.
“I have begged officials from UNHCR and other organizations for years to build a school here. They collected data, made promises, but nothing changed. My daughters deserve an education, but how can I send them 7 kilometers away when we can barely afford food?”
His story is not unique. A report from the Kohat District Education Office confirms that extreme poverty defines life here, with most families surviving on less than 300 rupees a day. The report notes that “education is not a priority for poorer families” and highlights early marriage and domestic labor as key reasons girls are kept out of classrooms.
The Girl Who Became a Teacher
In the absence of external support, 18-year-old Maria took matters into her own hands. Four years ago, she began teaching girls in her home using religious texts like the Quran and Taleem-ul-Islam, the only books available to her. Today, she teaches over 50 girls in a small room donated by a neighbor.
“I teach them to read and write through these books,” Maria told AAJ News. “But we need proper supplies, not just religious texts. I dream of becoming a trained teacher, but for now, this is all I can do.”
Her efforts are a testament to resilience, but they are not enough. The camp’s sole official school, serving just 136 students, is inaccessible to children in two of the five villages due to distance.
Government Response
Mr. Iqbal, Deputy Director of the Provincial Education Department, acknowledged the gaps in educational infrastructure for refugee communities.
“The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, in collaboration with federal authorities and UN partners, is aware of the constraints faced by Afghan refugees in camps like Chechana. We are working on a phased plan to improve access to education, particularly for girls, by establishing temporary learning centers and integrating refugee students into nearby government schools.”
Limitations of Maria’s Initiative
While Maria’s classroom offers hope, it also faces serious challenges. She has no formal training; her teaching is limited to religious texts, and there are no structured curricula or recognized certifications for her students. Without outside support, sustainability remains uncertain, and there is the risk of girls being left behind again once they outgrow their lessons.
The Way Forward
While organizations like UNHCR have historically provided aid, their efforts have not kept pace with the camp’s growing needs. The solution, however, may lie within and beyond the community itself. Maria’s small classroom is a working model, trusted, culturally appropriate, and scalable. With targeted support, teacher training, learning materials, and infrastructure, it could grow into something far more transformative.
Similar stories have already proven successful. In Punjab’s Kot Chandna Camp, late Afghan refugee teacher Aqeela Asifi began with just a borrowed tent but went on to establish nine schools, one of which was formally recognized and upgraded by the Punjab Education Department. Her initiative demonstrates how a community-led school can become part of the national system. Likewise, in Iran, Afghan refugee women have been trained through UNESCO-UNICEF programs to become certified teachers, and the Norwegian Refugee Council helped construct safe, energy-efficient schools, such as the Payambar Azam Primary School in Kerman Province, where Afghan children now study alongside local peers.
Maria’s classroom could follow the same path: evolving from a small, makeshift initiative into a structured, recognized education center if authorities and aid agencies invest in her potential. With proper training, materials, and infrastructure, she and others like her could lead the way in ensuring that no girl in Chechana Camp is left behind.
As Ismail poignantly asked, “How long must our daughters wait?” The answer depends on whether policymakers and partners choose to act now and replicate these proven solutions.
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