Nelson Mandela once said that knowledge is power taking this for granted, we can determine the most powerful countries that made education a mandatory item, now rule the world, scientific evolution, business revolution, and even humanity itself cannot achieve its goals unless or until proper education is not acquired.
The parties to the conflict neglect one of the most fundamental elements of war the protection of children, as attacks on children continue unabatedly throughout the world. The future of children and generations is being impacted by how long-lasting conflicts are. Without access to education, a child raised in conflict would lack the knowledge and abilities necessary to benefit their nations’ economies, worsening the precarious condition faced by millions of youngsters and their families. image.gif
Without protecting education, itself, a child’s right to an education in a conflict zone cannot be guaranteed. A good education can save your life. Children are easily targeted for abuse, exploitation, and recruitment by military forces and other organizations when they are not in school. Children should be able to feel safe from dangers and emergencies at school. It is also essential for ending the crisis cycle and lowering the likelihood of further confrontations.
The international community must raise their voices as one that any attack on schools must stop. The UN Chief said that “Schools must be places of learning, safety, and peace”. Further, he mentioned that lauding education not only provides knowledge and skills but also transforms lives and drives development for people, communities, and for societies.
The UN’s International Day of Education is an endeavor to engage the entire world and foster equality so that compatibility may be applied while keeping the well-being of the wider population in mind. Systematic, intentional, and suggestive of a troubling, recurrent worldwide trend are attacks on education. Over the previous two years, there has been a dramatic increase in assaults against educational institutions, students, and educators, with over 5,000 different incidents resulting in harm, injury, or death to more than 9,000 students, teachers, and scholars.
It is insufficient to merely condemn attacks. We can and must act to safeguard education through increased accountability, the application of the law, reliable, easily accessible data, and grassroots campaigning. Attacks by terrorist groups on educational institutions are used to reinforce gender inequity, attack government symbols, and promote intolerance and exclusion, especially by preventing female students from attending school.
The assaults on Malala Yousafzai, who went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize on 9, October 2012, and the Army Public School in Peshawar, which murdered at least 145 people, predominantly children, on 16 December 2014, brought the danger to education in Pakistan to the attention of the world. Today, we must never forget that the nation’s commitment to eradicating terrorism has been made possible by the sacrifices of APS martyrs. Blood was poured during the attack on the Army Public School, and the relatives of those killed are still grieving today. Survivors are reminded of the terrifying incident that captured everyone’s attention. The APS tragedy is regrettably one of the deadliest catastrophes in recent memory. Some tragedies are so heartbreaking and so momentous that their mark endures forever in the nation’s collective memory.
Government troops have occasionally set up temporary or long-term barracks or military posts in educational facilities, such as colleges and schools. Educational facilities are more vulnerable to assault when they are employed for military operations. To limit the military’s use of schools, the government should provide security personnel in Pakistan with precise commands that are made known to the public.
According to the Global Terrorism Database, there were 392 fatalities and 724 injuries as a result of 867 assaults on educational institutions in Pakistan between 2007 and 2015. Between 2013 and 2017, Pakistan had at least 203 attacks on schools, according to the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack. According to Human Rights Watch, Pakistan should create a comprehensive policy to safeguard children, particularly females, teachers, schools, and universities from attack and military exploitation. This policy should also engage all relevant national and local ministry officials.
The responsibility for defending schools has mostly belonged to the provincial governments, whose actions have been uneven, and inconsistent among provinces, and have paid little attention to safeguarding girls’ education. Most often, overworked school administrations have been charged with maintaining and strengthening security. The need of the hour is that the federal government of Pakistan should work with regional and local authorities to establish a quick reaction system for school attacks. Children should be able to return to school as soon as possible by repairing or rebuilding schools and replacing any lost educational materials. During construction, schools should be held in alternative locations, and pupils should get any necessary mental health care.
