We’ve all been taunted by our parents/grandparents about how they used to walk miles on foot to get to school every day while we’ve had it easy. In fact, it’s become a running joke in our generation. What if someone told you the joke will probably become a reality for a lot of us very soon?
On February 24th, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for an on-ground invasion of Ukraine to demilitarize the country. Four months into the war, the situation has alarmingly escalated, compelling international pressure on Putin to call off the invasion.
In the meantime, countries have been discussing possibilities of sanctions for Russian imports which has prompted the European Union and the United States to impose a partial ban on Russian crude oil. Consequently, global petrol prices have skyrocketed, and Pakistan alone has witnessed a 63 percent hike in the month of June alone, forcing citizens to seriously limit their daily commutes to the greatest extent possible. This perhaps affects the daily school-going and working-class population the most as their day-to-day expenses of travel alone have gone through the roof.
With this rate of inflation, a major chunk of the population might have to consider moving their children to nearby schools or relocating themselves, Some might consider taking days off from school, whether it be students or school staff, or worse, rethink the mode of instruction in schools. Forcing, countries to crawl back into the dark days of covid lockdowns.
Until people come up with viable alternatives to petrol use, I’m afraid the schools might see a drastic drop in attendance, further widening the gap between the rich who are only marginally impacted by the hike and continue their education without any major obstacles, and the poor whose lives have come to a halt with the recent developments. What’s most distressing about this whole issue is how a decision made by one country has the power to impact education for millions around the globe!