itting with my friends at Mashallah Hotel on Jan Muhammad Road, a densely populated area in Quetta, a pre-medical student Bahad* Baloch shares the challenges he has faced since his childhood owing to financial constraints.

Bahad’s father, a farmer, worked tirelessly to support his education, but poverty cast a long shadow, creating barriers that were hard to overcome. For many Baloch students like him, academic stress and financial hardships often impede their pursuit of education. “It’s been more than five years since I came to Quetta for higher studies,” says Bahad. “My father sends me a limited amount of money which isn’t enough to cover my tuition fees, room rent and daily expenses.

“I attempted the medical colleges entrance test multiple times, but failed each time,” he says. “There are very few job opportunities here.” Many job seekers remain unemployed despite holding master’s degrees. Many loose faith in the utility of education.

Gulab Baloch, another youth from a humble background, says he wished to complete his education, but circumstances took him in a different direction. “In 2014, I left my hometown and came to Quetta for studies,” he says. With the little money his parents sent him, he could barely study for three months. Today, he works as a porter at the Pak-Iran border.

These stories show the kind of problems the Baloch youth face. Many discontinue their studies and start whatever work they can get.

The education system in Balochistan has failed to provide fresh ideas. It does not promise fruitful outcomes. No wonder the society has stagnated in. “The lack of resources, insufficient budget allocation and a fragmented education system have eroded the quality of education and led to a high dropout rate, exacerbating the educational crisis,” says Mahatoon, a graduate in political science from Balochistan University.

Mahi Khan, a pre-medical student, says “access to education, especially for females, is incredibly challenging and stressful. We endure all kinds of hardships, from leaving our homes and joining academies in Quetta to facing harassment that often goes unreported.”

“The literacy rate in Balochistan is low. The province lags behind in economic, social and political development,” says former chief minister Jam Kamal Khan. “Nearly 65 percent of the province’s population is below the age of 30. Successive governments have been pursuing poor policies.”

Shari Baloch, a pre-medical student from Tump tehsil, speaks of the stress faced by the students owing to poverty. “I couldn’t even take the medical colleges entrance test. I had no money for it,” she says. “The degree I pursued feels useless now. What should one do with the degree if it has no worth? After graduation, I returned home with a sense of utter hopelessness.”

Living in hostels is particularly challenging. Far away from their families, the youth face loneliness, stress and depression. Maheen Baloch, another student, talks about feeling homesick in Quetta: “Leaving my hometown for higher education was tough. In my city, Turbat, there are hardly any academies to help one prepare for medical colleges entrance test. A lack of libraries compounds our problems. Here, we often feel lonely and miss home.”

mrana Imdad Baloch, a psychologist based in Turbat, recommends incorporating mental health education into the elementary-level curriculum. She believes that this will help raise awareness and teach stress management with healthy coping strategies, equipping students to handle pressure.

“Academic institutions should also set up anti-harassment cells to address cyber bullying and online harassment, ensuring confidentiality and privacy,” she adds. “Teachers could play a vital role in educating students about harassment and breaking taboos and stigma. Raising awareness is essential. Support systems must be within easy reach.”

An advocate of the integration of mental health education into the core curriculum, Imrana says mental health training must be provided to teachers and academics. “Promoting mental health can reduce pressure and enhance the overall safety and quality of our educational institutions and society.”

Siraj Gul, an advocate, comments, “The parents [of the students] must be frank with them so that the latter can share their problems with them.” He adds, “Many female students approach outsiders to share their problems with them. When communication between family members is hard, the children are forced to look for other people to deal with their problems.”

Security is another serious issue in Balochistan. It can frequently disrupt lives and disturb one’s peace of mind. Many college and university students have disappeared without a trace. Most people from interior Balochistan are reluctant to send their children to big cities for education.

Provision of job opportunities, building hostels, establishment of academies in each district, imparting free education, and offering stipends to the poor and deserving students can lessen the grievances of not only the youth but also their families. The federal and provincial governments should come up with innovative and effective policies to cater to the challenges faced by the students of Balochistan, so that the future generation can work towards a prosperous tomorrow in a peaceful and conducive environment.

Note: Names have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals

The writer holds an LLB degree from the University of Turbat. He tweets @MunajGul