When I was senior year in high school I remember going onto Twitter on Dec. 16, 2014 and reading there was a school bombing in Peshawar, Pakistan. The Taliban had bombed and attacked a school and 141 people were killed, which 132 of them were children. These 141 people came to school- that's it. This incident upset me greatly. It broke my heart to see this action conducted since only a week before, the fearless Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize, as the youngest person and first Pakistani to receive the award. Malala was shot by the Taliban on her way to school in 2012 for being vocal about her beliefs on gender equality for education. Malala, like me, believes everyone has a right to education.
No one deserves to die for wanting a basic education. Like many, I want to help children that live in fear for wanting to learn. I think the first thing we can do to show our support to them and honor them is simple: Value your education. I hear students complain about school in extreme amounts, and I'll even admit I complain occasionally. I see multiple posts on social media about how some individuals dread Mondays since the school week starts. I understand school isn't always easy, but students must remember schools are preparing us for the future. In America, we have the opportunity to attend primary and secondary schools for free. These schools are buildings often equipped with security.
On April 14, 2014, over 270 girls were kidnapped from the Chibok Government Secondary School by Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria. Today, around 230 of these girls are still missing. Statistics show that about 5% of northern Nigerian girls attend secondary school. On Jan. 11, 2016, a Russian missile hit a school in Syria and killed twelve children, which is just one horrific incident that represents the extreme hardships many Syrian children face.
Only 58% of children worldwide attend secondary school. About 17% of adults world wide are illiterate and the United Nations states that about 122 million youth globally are illiterate, which among young women represent 60.7%.
I'm so blessed that I'm able to attend college and can continue my education. Studies indicate that about only 6.7% of the world's population have a college degree and I'm extremely grateful I have the opportunity to get a degree. Programs such as "Educate A Child" help advocate for Education Rights and state some barriers to education include poverty, refugees, infrastructure, the quality of education, challenging geographies, conflict/insecurity/ instability, gender, and resources.
School can be tough, but I believe our generation must remember to be grateful for our education. When I get caught up in the moment and complain about the work school entails, I will try to remember that I'm being given the chance to learn new things and challenge myself. If you have the opportunity to receive an education, value it and take pride in it. I think we owe it to those who aren't as lucky. Receiving an education isn't easy, but remember to embrace your journey of education because knowledge truly is power.
