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Indus Watch had a chat with the students from various schools in interior Sindh about their views on a number of issues. The children, and their teachers, were participating in a summer camp in Rattanabad organised by the Church World Service. Their answers were enlightening and heartening

By Mahnaz Rahman
Shakeel Ashraf is a student of class nine at a private school in Hyderabad. His father is a carpenter. Ashraf loves to study and wants to become a neuro-surgeon. His hobby is painting. He hopes to one day be able to establish an an institution for handicapped children. He promises to provide shelter to beggars as well, and wished every human being could lead a dignified life.
He wishes that children who collect garbage on the road could go to school instead. Ashraf loves trees, and wants to become like a tree that provides shade and protects people from the scorching heat.
Rohama Shamoon, another young participant of the summer camp, comes from Sanghar. Her father works at a petrol pump. After completing her education she wants to join an international NGO. She said that people in her area were suffering from load shedding and price hikes. Poor people are entrapped in debt, she said.
If Shamoon becomes the president of Pakistan some day, she will give money to the poor to get out of this debt trap, she promised. During the summer camp, she learnt about child rights, human rights, gender, state and politics.
Hina studies at a school in Haji Kamaluddin Panhwer Village. She said that people in her village were facing issues such as load-shedding, price-hike, and unemployment. Some people in her village do not send their daughters to schools, she said, adding that they do not even let their daughters step out of their houses. Hina thinks that parents should treat their sons and daughters equally, "but they think that their sons will support them financially while girls will get married and go to another family. This is why they do not see any benefit of providing education to girls."

Hina thinks that education is very important for girls as educated mothers can bring up their children in a better way.
Rameesh, from Tando Allahyar, lives in Ibrahim colony where most parents do not send their daughters to schools. He wishes that every child, whether a boy or a girl, could go to school and get free education. He wants to bring an end to terrorist activities. He also wants the poor to have access to free healthcare, as well as employment opportunities.
Suneel lives in a village of Sanghar called "Padri jo Goth" and studies in class eight. He wants to serve his village after becoming a doctor. The people of his village do not get water for their crops and Suneel hopes to solve this problem one day. He would also like to get metallic roads and a good sewerage system in his village.
Shazia Sardar attended the summer camp in 2003 as a student but this year she accompanied the students of St Isadora Elementary School of Padri jo Goth in Sanghar. Her village comprises 300 Christian households and six to eight Bheel (Hindu) families.
There is only one middle-school in the village, and many girls cannot continue their studies after the eighth grade. Shazia was fond of teaching since childhood and she is very glad that she is now teaching at the same school where she once studied.
Shazia thinks that poverty is the main reason for lack of education. Parents also get scared by slander-mongering, "but they should bring up their daughters in a way that they can face the world in a dignified way," she maintains.
From the personal to the political
Apart from issues that concern them directly, the children also have much to say about problems of national importance
Inflation is a monster!
Many students were of the view that price hike is the most significant issue and the government should do something to solve it. The salaries of poor people should be raised, and the government should not impose taxes on basic necessities. They thought that one of the reasons of price hike were "destructive activities" being carried out by some groups.
Energy crisis
Load-shedding or energy crisis is another issue that has made life miserable. The government and public both should think about it, the children said. People should conserve energy and the government should build new dams to produce electricity. Moreover, industries should get energy for free.
Political calls for strikes
Some students considered strike calls given by various political parties as a big problem for poor people who work on daily wages. Their children remain hungry on that day.
Infrastructure and security
Some students considered infrastructure a big issue, and said that roads are not in good shape, and should be repaired by the government.
Many students were worried about bomb blasts and said that explosive material should be used for peaceful purposes such as construction. They also believed that citizens should pinpoint terrorists.
Quality of education
Lack of quality education is also a problem, they believed. The teachers were of the opinion that the burden of books should be lessened, and the curriculum should be designed according to the intellectual level of the students. There is shortage of trained teachers in under-developed areas, while educational institutions have been politicized and merit has been violated.
The education has become a luxury and poor people can't dream of acquiring it, the children said, adding that there was a shortage of experienced teachers.—MR