Pakistan among countries most affected by violent assaults on educational institutions

On the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, observed today, Pakistan is highlighted as one of the countries most affected by violent assaults on educational institutions.

Established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the day aims to raise awareness about the increasing threats to education, particularly in conflict zones.

In its Education Under Attack 2024 report, the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) states that in the last two years (2022-2023), around 6,000 reported attacks on education occurred globally - a nearly 20% rise compared to the previous two years.

On average, eight attacks on schools, universities, or education personnel were recorded daily. Countries like Palestine, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Myanmar reported the highest number of these attacks.

Pakistan, alongside India, Afghanistan, and Palestine, reported some of the highest casualties, with numerous individuals harmed or killed in attacks targeting educational institutions. The country has experienced a prolonged struggle with militant violence, which often targets schools, leaving students and teachers vulnerable.

The report found that explosive weapons were used in around one-third of all reported attacks on education in 2022 and 2023. Attacks included airstrikes, rockets, and artillery shelling, as well as the use of improvised explosive devices and landmines, in countries such as Colombia, Myanmar, Palestine, Sudan, Ukraine, and Yemen.

A classroom tent is set up on the rubble of the house of Palestinian teacher Israa Abu Mustafa, who took the initiative to educate children in her neighborhood, as war disrupts a new school year, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, September 4, 2024.Reuters

Quoting the GCPEA report, the World Federation of Peace said: “These trends are deeply alarming, and they demonstrate the urgent need for the international community to revisit efforts to better protect children and education in armed conflict.

Moreover, the report also found some groups to have been attacked more than others. “Girls and women were reportedly targeted because of their gender in attacks on education in at least ten countries. Female students and teachers or their education facilities were targeted in an attempt to prevent them from receiving an education in certain contexts, including Afghanistan and Pakistan,” the report noted.

In the month of May alone this year, at least four girls’ school in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces were blown up or torched by unknown assailants.

The rising global trend emphasizes the need for stronger international efforts to protect education in conflict-affected areas and provide safe learning environments for children.