Education Crisis Sparks Protests in Gilgit-Baltistan

Students in Gilgit-Baltistan protest against a severe teacher shortage, blocking roads and demanding action. Chronic staff and resource shortages leave students without education. The movement highlights broader issues of educational neglect in the region.

In Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan, students from Degree College Chilas have taken to the streets, blocking major roads in the Diamer district to protest against severe shortages of teaching staff. The students' grievances stem from a lack of new hires over the past four months due to a recruitment freeze imposed by the college principal. As a result, the few remaining teachers are strained, unable to adequately educate their pupils.

A protester highlighted the desperation driving their actions, stating, "We blocked the road because the administration is ignoring us. Only 26 teachers are employed here, and 20 are absent. We demand teachers for core subjects, yet the administration does nothing." The students further emphasized the paucity of basic facilities at the college, compounding their educational crisis.

The protests reveal the broader neglect of the education sector in Diamer and beyond, with critical departments such as science, commerce, and humanities severely understaffed. Some subjects have been left without any teachers at all. This unrest is emblematic of a larger issue plaguing Gilgit-Baltistan, where resource scarcity, political instability, and systemic neglect have stymied educational development. Residents fear a deliberate strategy to suppress educational progress to avoid potential challenges to the region's political status.

(With inputs from agencies.)