Waziristan Education City

Backgournd

Education has been overlooked in the Ex-FATA in general and Waziristan inparticular,where literacy rates according to official statistics have been very low as comparedtootherparts of the country. Non functioning of the education system due to absenceof effectivepolicy and lack of attentionr in Waziristan resulted in illiteracy and triggeringextremisttendencies in the society. The assertive militancy in post 9/11 made Waziristanespeciallythe Mahsud area as epicentre of the war on terror. Military operations against militantsresulted in closure and destruction of educational institutions and health facilities, whichresulted in massive dropouts of students.

According to Education Management Information System (EMIS), directorate of educationofNewly Merged Tribal Districts, literacy rate there is only 33.3 %, far less thannational average of 58%. When it comes to female literacy, the situation becomes grimasliteracyrate for women is only 12.7%. Only one-fifth of the girls enrolled in public sector schoolsinseven districts of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) continuetheireducation from preparatory class till Class V, as overall 73 per cent students —69pcboysand 79pc girls — quit schools during the early years of education. SituationinSouthWaziristan Mahsud area is even more critical where the drop out comes to 92%. Suchahigh dropout is alarming to reinforce ignorance, extremism, poverty, underdevelopmentresulting in economic and social challenges. The 2010 PCNA report is verycrucial tounderstand the drivers of crisis and reasons of distrust compelling the youth totakearmsagainst the state. The youth and woman have been the worst affected segmentsof thesociety as a result they are exposed to extremism and deprivation. Promoting educationcanbe used as bulwark against such vulnerabilities and effective vehicleagainstunderdevelopment and peace building.

As a cost of militancy, Mahsud tribes forced to leave the area and 113 thousandsMahsudfamilies (App 0.9 m people) displaced. Local infrastructure, housing, economy andlivelihooddevastated. Approximately three thousand people lost their lives or woundedinoperation,drone attacks & Taliban atrocities. More than eighty thousand houses damagedandpeoplecoming after almost two decades having no houses, infrastructure damaged andlivelihoodperished. Roughly the accumulated losses of the militancy may be more or less US$2bn

RATIONALE OF THE PROJECT:

As per the consultant finding there is 45 thousand enrollment at primary level, thesamedrastically drop to 1000 at intermediate level and only 2.2 % continue educationat higherlevel. There is a 92% drop out and lack of quality higher education institutions, nonaffordability of higher education and lack of technical education in vicinity are major reasonsof this drop out.
The more dangerous development is that extremism is breeding up posingseriouschallenges for the nation and the state. To address the menace of militancy andextremismwe need to focus on long term initiatives and education is the most reliable instrument tobring back the youth to normalcy, provide opportunity to arrest the breeding of extremismand develop knowledge based economy in the situation where economic opportunitiesarenon existent.
In view of the poor educational statistics, deficient and destroyed infrastructure, inaccessibility and wide spread poverty, lack of livelihood opportunities andprevailingunderdevelopment and that education has become a crucial factor for productionintheeraof knowledge economies, it is quite sure that Waziristan from its humble originof traditional tribal society may emerge as a growing civilization where ambition and WaziristanEducationCity as a means of know how will be fueling exciting experiences in education, tolerance,health, sports and culture.
The main question is again that there exists a good wide spread systemof educationfacilities in the area and that why the existing education system failed to yieldandisnonfunctioning especially in the most traditional hard areas like Mahsud area of Waziristan. Theanswer is that till now the health and education facilities are considered to begiventotheMaliks as privileges instead of its need based development with community basedownershipexcept where towns with multiple tribal entities are growing. Inspiring fromtheinternational best practices and lessons learnt from the failures, the idea of Waziristan EducationCitywaslaunched in the aftermath of operations as a long term tool to mainstreamthe societyandtoconsolidate the gains of operations and huge investments in the security of the area.

SITE SELECTION:

In this regard it is envisioned that a venture/plan named as Waziristan EducationCity(WEC),an educational initiative, to be the largest single educational project undertakenanywhereinthe areas constituting erstwhile FATA, which will be established at Mawley KhanSarai, Tehsil Sarwakai (32.283054, 69.890553) South Waziristan Tribal District (elevation 1286m), whichis a perfect location in the center of South Waziristan. All four major tribes of theareaconverge on this location.
Waziristan is vast territory of 11326 Sq kilometer comprising of beautiful plains, hillyterrainwith great forests of oaks and pines, especially chalgoza forests and the home of thesecondhighest peak of the Suleiman range, Preghaal. It has a geographical unity consistingonastrong social fabric due to one dialect and multiple interrelationships throughmarriages,businesses and frequent social interaction because of strong communication linkages, butithas been administratively divided into three separate districts of North and twodistrictsofSouth Waziristan. Uthmanzai Wazir and Dawar are two major tribes of NorthWaziristanwhile Mahsud, Ahmad Zai Wazir, Dottani and Suleiman Khel are major tribesof SouthWaziristan. Three of the districts have approximate population of 3.5 millionpeople.Ignorance and lack of economic opportunities in the area resulted in underdevelopment andwas crucial in leading the people of the area to afford militancy, extremism and taking arms against the state.
This vast plain at Sarwakai, which are unattended and unutilized, is the ideal locationforestablishment of such a project. Its environment is perfect, having a moderate weather roundthe year, abundant underground and surface water available, presence of ArmyFort forprotection in the nearby and above all the convergence of the maximumpopulationof the four major tribes Ahmadzai Wazir, Dottani Suleiman Khel and of Mahsud tribeonthislocation are the key factors to identify it for the project.

Total area earmarked by the tribe for the project is 7000 kanal, which is locatedonWana-Jandola road, surrounded by hills from 3 sides, and Pakistan Army BrigadeHQontheSouthern side and surrounding hill tops also covered. Site is also partially coveredwithnatural vegetation which can be protected and grown in to forest. Seasonal drystreamonthe site is ideal for water retention and delay action dam to be used for different puposes.
Since purposeful acquisition of land is a very difficult ask in the mergedareatoaccommodate and house maximum government facilities to meet the challengesof at leastone hundred years. For this purpose the local Shaman Khel section of Mahsudtribecommitted to provide Seven thousands(7000) Kanal of land free of cost. This pieceof landis accessible from all three sides and connected through black topped roads. Besidesstrongsecurity protection of Pak Army/Frontier Corps having a Brigade Headquarter. It alsohasastate of the art Hospital in the nearby

UNIQUE FEATURES OF THE PROJECT

Waziristan Education City at Barwand (Mauley Khan Sarai) Mahsud areainSouthWaziristan was an idea to develop a hub of education institutions with residential facilitiesand that a multi-tribal colonization is encouraged in the surrounding. As anintegratedapproach the idea includes innovation ecosystem like science parks and idea spacesononehand and education from technical to non technical streams and fromprimary totertiarylevel with impact on the other. All such facilities to be developed on the same locationwheredifferent valleys converge. Here again the focus is to harness the local natural resourcesandagricultural potential of the area with applied research.
The vision of the proposed programme is to develop Knowledge Economy andtoprovideinclusive opportunities to the local communities and people of the remote inaccessibleareasto achieve quality education in different fields ranges from social sciences to theprofessional learning and skill training in the same location having required instructional andresidential infrastructure and facilities for the students, professionals and instructional staff withaffordable costs.
The project will aim to establish an exclusive facility of unique nature to housedifferenteducational facilities along with residential facilities on the same location bothfrompublicand private sectors investors. Presently 700 students belong to only Mahsudareaareadmitted to Gomal University D.I.Khan, who could no more be causing pressureoneducation institutions in the urban areas of the country in general and Khyber Pakhtunkhwain particular. Federal Government, HEC, respective Provincial Governments, educational institutions, public and private sector organizations would be provided facilitationespeciallyprovision of the land/spaces as per the approved master plan to establish their extendedbranches and facilities in the area. International organization and educational institutionswould also be welcomed to invest in education by establishing their extensionintheareasubject to the policies of the Government of Pakistan.

The main features of the project are its self sustainability due to PPPmodel, qualityassurance through franchise system and above all cost effective security environment. TheGovernment has to develop infrastructure incrementally in phases and spaces areallottedto the interested government departments and private sector education chains onleasebasesor through any other prescribed and mutually agreed mechanismunder thecontrol ofgovernment having special legal framework
The project aims at positive youth engagement for long term peace building withprovisionofspecial educational environment for women being more vulnerable to extremism, povertyand backwardness in the existing tribal environment due to lack of opportunities andmobilitychecks.
Will introduce integrated cluster education system with access to applied researchandhigher education.
The same can also be reflected elsewhere in the country as an international casestudywehave such successful models in the form of Education City Qatar, Education CityIskandarMalaysia, City of Knowledge Panama and Global Education City South Korea,

STATUS OF THE PROJECT

The project was formally launched on 27 March 2019 and Commander 11 Corpswastheguest of honour in the ground breaking ceremony. Deputy Commissioner SouthWaziristan,MNA of the area and Parliamentarians of Ex-FATA and elders also attended thefunctionatMaulay Khan Sarai, South Waziristan.
The proposal was shared with P&D Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which wasacceptedin 2019. Higher Education Department, KP was tasked to conduct feasibility studyof theproposal
A scheme with nomenclature “Feasibility for the Establishment of Education City at BarwandMahsud Area South Waziristan” was included in the ADP 2019-20 at a cost of Rs. 500.00million. The PDWP forum approved PC-II of the scheme in its meeting held on08-10-2019with a total cost of Rs. 120.900 million (Project Implementation Unit (PIUCost Rs. 99.900million and consultancy Rs. 21.00 million). and the revenue concurrence wasissuedbyFinance Department, KP accordingly\.
The PIU costs were included in the AIP as per the decision of the core committeemeetinginaccordance with information from the Directorate of Projects, Merged Area Secretariat. Asper approved PC-II the PIU was established for 03 years or till the completion of AIPprojectsto oversee, mentor and monitor AIP projects including the scheme ‘Development ofEducation City at Barwand, Mahsud Area District South Waziristan’.
Expression of Interest (EoI) for per-qualification in National/ International EngineeringArchitectural Consulting Firms was invited through “National Daily” dated 18-09-2020and.11 firms submitted their proposals, 05 firms qualified and were asked tosubmit theirtechnical and financial bidding upto 12-01-2021. Pakistan Environmental Planning&Architectural Consultants (Pvt. Ltd) was awarded the contract for conducting feasibilitystudyof the ADP scheme No. 1951311 “Feasibility Study for the Establishment of EducationCityatBarwand Mahsud Area in SW (AIP)”
The consultant conducted different studies like Electrical Resistivity Tests, water resistivitytests, analyzed rain fall data, visited the site, security assessment was done, communicationnetwork was checked, the potential future catchment areas were studied and dataof youthpreferring higher and technical education in the major cities of Pakistan were alsoanalyzedby the Education experts in 2020. On the basis of feasibility study the PEAPACconsultantsubmitted PC-I at a cost of Rs. 2772.571 million and was approved by KPPDWPin2021and Administrative Approval was issued accordingly.
Additional charge of the post of Project Director of the project “Development of EducationCity at Barwand, Mahsud Area District South Waziristan” was assigned to Dr. NajeebUllah,Project Director University of Engineering & Applied Sciences (UEAS) Swat in additiontohisown duties. Dr. Najeeb Ullah after some time relinquished the charge of the post of ProjectDirector and the post remained vacant since then.
In the year 2022-23 the project was reflected as ADP Scheme No 210592 withthesamenomenclature with the approved allocations.  In the ADP for the year 2023-24 the scheme was dropped fromthe ADPduringrationalization exercise.

THEMATIC AREAS

Waziristan School of Engineering and Applied Sciences including Space Technology.
Waziristan School of Medical Sciences and Nursing
Waziristan School of Arts and Design.
Waziristan School of Heritage & Cultural Studies
Waziristan School of Artificial Intelligence.
Waziristan School of Agriculture and Livestock Research and Development
Waziristan School of Geological Sciences and Mining
Waziristan School of Vocational Training
Waziristan Science and Technology Parks
Waziristan School of Virtual Education and Research
Central library, Hostels, Masjid, Residential Zones.
Commercial Zones and Recreational areas
Sports complex and a small dam
Reserve forest

MASTER PLAN OF WAZIRISTAN EDUCATION CITY

The main objective of the master plan for Waziristan Education City is to designit inecofriendly manner. Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is planning to deviselongtermdevelopment plans for the tribal districts. Education is the major focus of Government inthese plans as well as a significant demand of the society as well. It is thereforeplannedthatGovernment instead of thin spreading to establish different institutions especiallythat ofeducation, it should be established as hubs and complexes by providing quality instructional and residential infrastructure and facilities.
The tribe has committed land free of cost for the project and the Consultant developedamaster plan of the Waziristan Education City which include the maximumutilizationof 7thousand kanal of the available land.
26 % of the land has been proposed for 27 spaces dedicated to the establishment ofeducational institutions. This consists on1855 kanal of land. Similarly in addition3.5%of landmeasuring 244 kanals earmarked for Science and Technology parks and approximately180kanals for Administration complex.
9% land measuring 644 kanals earmarked for residential purposes. In addition400Kanalsdedicated for hostels, faculty residences and apartments.
Approximately 1000 Kanals earmarked for the sports complex and parks, additional 180kanals for public buildings and 400 kanals for forest reserves.
Besides the utilization of the 7 thousand kanal of available piece of land, the consultant hasalso identified unutilized community land of several thousands acres in thesurroundingwhich can be utilized for town planning in consultation with the communities

Master Plan

FINANCIAL PLAN:

Basic infrastructure, health, sports etc facilities to be provided by the provincial governmentor its attached Departments autonomous bodies.
Government to provide adequate security
Academic institutions, research centers, science and technology parks, technical andskill centers to be provided by Government Departments, through joint ventures withprivatesectors, international partners or through PPP models.
Spaces be awarded/ allotted through a regulatory regime of allotment on leasebasisorsubsidized rates or time based concessional rates while the internal infrastructureof theinstitutions will be born by the allottees.
The total expected cost of the project is Rs. 2800 million including the cost of civil works,which is approximately Rs.1900 million

IMPLEMENTATION AND EXECUTION MECHANISM

The project will be housed in the Higher Education Department, Govrnment of KhyberPakhtunkhwa to take the lead in fixing priorities and planning the target initiatives.
There shall be a regulatory regime for management of the different landspacesinaccordance with the master plan and its allotment per the prescribed mechanismunderthethe HED or its nominated body.
Multi-sectoral interventions are expected in the Programme and a ProgrammeSteeringCommittee of the stake holders under the Additional Chief Secretary P&Dshall beconstituted for guidance, strategic and policy decisions. The stake holders may includebutnot restricted, the P&D, HED, E&SED, Sports and Culture, Youth, PHE, LG7RD, Health,Agriculture, Livestock, Mines and Mineral, Science and Technology and Industries.
There shall be a Programme Implementation Unit (PIU) with certain responsibilitieslikeworking under the Guidance of Programme Steering Committee led by ACSP&DKP,developing a legal and Regulatory Framework and development of PPPmodel/alternativemechanisms.
The PIU will be responsible for developing a strategic and sustainability planning, inconsultation with HEC, HED and international partners.
The PIU of education city will devise strategic and sustainability plans that will involveformulating goals, objectives, and action steps.
PIU will be responsible for execution of Civil Works of the project.

Way Forward

Foregoing in view there is a need of the day to Immediately restore the Project toitspreviousstatus, PIU is established and work be resumed where it was stopped. It shall beincludeinADP, AIP, PSDP or as any other special initiative.
Waziristan is a home of talented and resilient youth and it will be brandedasanewdestination for knowledge, education, research, cultural events, sports competitions, positiveyouth engagement and interaction through Waziristan Education City by providingassociated purposeful facilities in the same area. Such an exposure to our youth will give newidentitytoWaziristan.
There is a need to ensure that investment is made in the mainstreaming of youththroughpositive engagement in meaningful education to avoid reverting this talentedandresilientyouth to militancy and extremism
Waziristan Education City is the driver to consolidate the gains of Military operationsandbring long term peace and prosperity in the area through quality education
There is meagre economic opportunities and Waziristan Education City can beamajor tool to develop Knowledge Economy in the area
Militancy has perverted the face of Waziristan, home of a patriotic people andWaziristanEducation City is going to rebuild its new identity beyond the traditional comprehension. It will be known for future contribution and articulated through the notion of Knowledge, talent andhard work. The same to play a lead role in the nation and state building.