Current Connection 1.2 Fighting For Education

While students in America complain about school and skip school because they just “don’t feel like going”, and they talk about how much they hate school, students in countries like Pakistan, Nigeria, and many others, are fighting with their lives to have an education like America’s. 

Diya Nijhowne, director of the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack, states in her article, "The right to education is under seige", that “The Taliban, for instance, demolish schools and threaten teachers and students where they believe the education provided is ‘un-Islamic’.”, and “a principal and six school children died [in March] during an attack at their school in Karachi”. These are only a couple examples of the many problems students face outside of this spoiled, comfortable little niche called America. Instead of taking American education for granted, students should appreciate what they have here in honor of those who do not have this. Not convinced yet?  


Nijhowne also claims that “[they] have documented attacks on education in about 30  countries in the last five years”. After knowing this, surely deep down some students are thinking “What is so wrong with education anyway?” or “Why would people go to such extremes to stop education?”. This thought occurs because truly, American education isn’t actually all that bad!

Also stated in the article, “violence and threats against education stunt long term social development and economic growth for the whole community”. Imagine never having had an education, the only way we can learn how to think.What would America look like? People see others as ignorant now, just think what it would be like if no one knew anything.

A persecuted female student named Malala says that “They thought that the bullets would silence us. But they failed. And then, out of that silence came thousands of voices.” Those voices shouldn’t be just theirs; American students should stand up for those students as well.   Not only should they defend them, but they should appreciate the abundance of freedom they have to an education, and to think.

            If fellow students in other countries are fighting for their right to an education, American students should rethink fighting to not go to school.


Website: CNN.com