Weak internet access deepens education gap for girls in merged districts

PESHAWAR: Limited internet access in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's merged districts is compounding the education crisis for girls, with official data showing both low connectivity and high numbers of children out of school.

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Women Empowerment Policy 2026-2030 says only 11 per cent of women in the merged districts have internet access, while the female literacy rate there is 17 per cent. Benazir Income Support Programme data paints a similarly stark picture on schooling: the share of out-of-school children stands at 66 per cent in North Waziristan, 63 per cent in Bajaur, 61 per cent in South Waziristan, 51 per cent each in Mohmand and Khyber, and 47 per cent each in Kurram and Orakzai.

For students trying to keep up with online learning, the lack of reliable service is an everyday hurdle. Khadija Bibi, a 16-year-old BS Computer Science student at Benazir Women University Peshawar, said she climbs a hill near her home in Kurram during the summer break to catch enough signal to download lecture notes, submit assignments and attend online classes. She said, "We live in an area where there is still no reliable internet signal," and added, "We frequently miss online classes and cannot submit assignments on time."

Khadija said the problem had become one of the biggest obstacles to her studies. "The world is talking about 5G technology, but we are still deprived of even basic internet services. This is affecting our education and limiting our future opportunities," she said.

Digital divide and social barriers

Residents and education advocates say poor connectivity has joined poverty, insecurity and weak education infrastructure as a major barrier for girls in the merged districts. Many schools there either do not have functioning computer labs or have rooms designated as labs without computers or internet access.

Qamar Naseem, Programme Manager at Blue Veins and Malala Fund Education Champion for Pakistan, said progress had been made nationally in narrowing the digital gender gap, but remote areas were still lagging behind. He said girls in the merged districts remained digitally excluded because of weak telecommunications infrastructure, unreliable connectivity and limited access to smartphones.

Naseem said, "Even where network coverage exists, girls often do not own smartphones, cannot afford internet packages and have to rely on borrowed devices." He added that in many parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, especially the merged districts, girls' use of mobile phones and the internet is viewed with suspicion, leading families to impose restrictions because of online safety concerns, social pressure and cultural norms.

He also said 35 per cent of women who use mobile internet borrow an internet-enabled phone, compared with 6 per cent of men, reducing their ability to join online classes and build digital skills.

Karishma Zakiullah, a digital inclusion consultant with the World Bank, said broader connectivity alone would not solve the problem unless women can also travel more easily for education and training. She said, "Extending Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services to the merged districts would improve access to education, training centres and employment." Zakiullah also urged the government and telecommunications authorities to prioritise the region so it receives internet services on par with settled areas.