Not just Peshawar, but Pakistan.
- Sara Rehman
- Nov 29, 2022
- 2 min read
“My parents were miserable because they were feeling the pain of those who lost their children, but we (children) kept our emotions to ourselves; otherwise, our parents would not have sent us to school for some period. (16 years old from a private school)."
Everyone in Pakistan felt the tidal wave of depression and anxiety when the APS attack happened. It was one of the most horrid events in the timeline of terrorism because kids and their education got caught in the middle. It became one of the top school massacres in the world and gained worldwide attention. However what's interesting to note is that the fear was felt way beyond Peshawar.
Parents all over the country did not feel safe sending their children to school, no matter what city they were in. I was in the 8th grade when this happened, and I remember one of my classmates saying how her parents were thinking of pulling her out of school because of the fear that they had. An attack at an army school left its marks on all schools all over the country. We see from this that armed conflict and its connection to education is not isolated but widespread. The destruction it brings is not just to the specific area but also to the sentiments of all that can relate to sending their children to school. What this specific incident did was painted education to be dangerous and harmful. The lasting impacts of attacking schools in armed conflict are multifaceted. A gradual deterioration of educational opportunities and infrastructure. Gains made in terms of both access and quality of education are primarily rolled back, and students do not completely recover. Reduced funding for higher education has a negative impact on research and innovation. Due to continuing infrastructure targets, recurring investments in education have ceased.
A decline in educational quality has far-reaching consequences for a nation's progress in all areas: economic growth, political stability, social progress, poverty alleviation, and the health of mothers and children.
this post describes the situation millions of parents and students had to go through after one school was attacked. I have studied in APS, and even though our city was far from Peshawar, the fear was felt regardless. the concern of our parents to send us to school and our fear of going to the school, knowing it is also an army school, affected our experience and studies indeed. remembering the fear with which we went to the schools and sat in the classrooms, fully expecting an attack at any time and being trained to escape or hide if such an attack happened, still gives me goosebumps. and all this because of the state's problem with a terrorist group. This…
An insightful post that sensitively addresses an unprecedented event in the history of Pakistan. Civilians are often caught between the crossfire between military and radicalized terrorist groups, yet this was one of the few idiosyncratic events where children were consciously targeted because their school was associated with the military institution. We have discussed throughout the course the dangers of military proximity to educational institutions and the appropriation of the educational infrastructure for military practices, yet what this event does is complicate that narrative. This begs the question whether a volatile organization such as the military should be allowed to stake a claim on the educational sector as their mere association puts the student's at risk?
I agree with much of…
This blog certainly brings us flashbacks that we truly terrify us. The fear that the APS attack instilled in the entire country was consequential, as it impacted the country's education. I remember despite living in Lahore, my school was temporarily closed, and even when we did return, we had an odd feeling in the back of our minds. The trauma of such events can never really go away, and recalling stories from the attack only reminds us of the constant fight for education we are undergoing in our country. Not only do such instances impact children, parents, too, are impacted mentally. Imagine sending your children to school, for them to never return again. Education which should serve as a barrier…
Great Post! I was reflecting back on my school experience when you mentioned how parents all around Pakistan were considering pulling their kids out of school. I remember the APS attack took place when I was in grade 7, and we were made to do these drills in school where an alarm would ring, and we would all practice what we would do if we were under attack. While safety is very important, to think about the drastic impact such exercises can have on children and their minds is exceptionally traumatic. What lasting impact does this cause on the kids' psychological well-being? This is important to mention that I went to a private convent school in Karachi. I spoke to a…