Rising from the ashes: The power of determination

“My family comes from the Kalat district of Balochistan, which is where I grew up. At the age of 15, shortly after completing my Matriculation examinations, I was married off and had to stop any further education. I had two children: A son, followed by a daughter. My daughter was less than 30 days old when my husband passed away, and all of the responsibilities he had shouldered were mine to bear. At the age of 17, when I myself needed shelter, I had to become a source of shelter for others. Although life seemed to come to a screeching halt for me, I knew that I could not stop -- my family depended on me too much. Despite my fear of the unknown, I proceeded to complete my higher secondary education and then complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Sciences, Sociology, and Brahui (my language). My family desperately needed money, so I took on a job as a Junior English Teacher working in a government school in a small town known as Surab.

It was around this time that I also discovered that the cause for my son’s frequent illnesses was a congenital heart defect that required surgery. It is no secret that being a single mother is difficult in Pakistan, but it was especially challenging in the society I came from. For a woman to be gainfully employed, to leave her home, and not to have a husband goes against all of our traditions. Despite this I refused to give in to despair, even when my son’s medical expenses seemed as if they would overwhelm us. Even as I took on the task of teaching in school, I also worked to complete a Master of Philosophy degree in Brahui alongside my job. A large portion of my motivation came from the fact that I wished to prove to society (and to the world) that our tribe of people are not backward thinking or inclined towards violence as they are often stereotyped to be. I emphasised the importance of education for all to my own children and to members of my community; I never wanted anyone else’s children to suffer as mine had. When I consider the fact that only 13% of women and 38% of men in Balochistan are literate, it ignites a fire within me: I wish to tackle this problem head on. Following my MPhil, I saw a job opening in the Balochistan Public Service Commission. I applied and passed the test, thus securing my current job. I was even able to take my son abroad for surgery, thus finally treating his condition -- today he is a thriving Grade 7 student! Today I am completing my PhD in Brahui, with the same passion and drive as before: It is my desire to bring my language (and through it, my people) forward and into mainstream society. Last year, when I learned that the Aga Khan University Examination Board (AKU-EB) was conducting a training on student assessment, I was struck by the fact that they placed such a heavy emphasis on stopping cheating. I became determined to avail myself of the opportunity to experience this training if it were ever offered again, and am proud to be here today. The way in which AKU-EB has supported Balochistan is extraordinary. Many individuals from other NGOs or donor agencies seem too afraid to come to Balochistan, but clearly AKU-EB staff do not. During training sessions, I feel as if I am in the presence of friends that show me respect rather than strict teachers. I can tell that they wish for us to progress, and thus believe that all of us must be with them every step of the way. Indeed, all of the people representing various Balochistan public sector education institutions at this training are positive and welcome -- it genuinely feels as if we are one people, all working towards the same purpose. Ultimately, I believe our goal must be to rid Balochistan’s education system of cheating entirely, thus giving our children the proper justice that they deserve. We must bring them into competition with their fellow students on a national level, matching everyone else’s pace!” Faiza Ali Shah, Subject Specialist, Government College of Education