The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has unveiled a groundbreaking higher education scholarship program aimed at students from Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, as reported by state broadcaster Radio Pakistan on Wednesday. This initiative seeks to address the region’s chronic educational challenges and provide opportunities for talented students to pursue higher education abroad.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least developed province, struggles with alarmingly low literacy rates, particularly among women. According to official data from 2022–2023, the province’s literacy rate stands at just 54.5 percent, the lowest in the country. Female literacy is even more dire, with rates falling below 10 percent in districts like Washuk and Kharan. Across Balochistan, only 34 percent of girls attend school, compared to 52 percent of boys. The province’s education infrastructure is also severely lacking, with over 60 percent of government schools lacking electricity and 45 percent operating without clean water. Additionally, overcrowded classrooms and a pupil-teacher ratio of 50:1 further exacerbate the challenges.
The UAE’s scholarship program aims to tackle these disparities by offering opportunities for higher education to deserving students. Under the program, 25 candidates, including five girls, have been selected from various districts of Balochistan through a rigorous written testing process. The initiative has been met with gratitude and enthusiasm by the selected students, who see it as a life-changing opportunity.
Husun Bano, a resident of Turbat district and one of the scholarship recipients, expressed her joy in a video message, stating that the program has given her a chance to fulfill her childhood dreams. Similarly, Malik Lehri, a student from Quetta, shared his excitement about completing his civil engineering degree at Abu Dhabi University, calling it a milestone in his educational journey.
This initiative comes on the heels of the Balochistan government’s recent announcement of fully funded scholarships for talented students from the province. It also follows a 2018 initiative by Saudi Arabia, which offered 50 scholarships for Balochistan students to study in Saudi universities.