Targeting education: The last ray of hope for girls in FATA, blown up

31-year-old girls’ school destroyed in FR Peshawar.

PESHAWAR:

The Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Khan Killay took with it the last hope for female students in Frontier Region Peshawar.

According to local people, the school was blown up by unidentified militants, who planted explosives on the outer walls of the school’s building. No loss of life was reported. Habibullah Khan, the owner of the school property, said the militants attacked the guardroom at late night and threatened the security guard to remain silent.

“I was asleep when I heard the blasts. There were seven dynamites planted on walls and classrooms, which collapsed the entire school building,” said Khan. “The remains of the building are still there; [they seem to be saying] there is no hope left for students.”

He explained that the school, which was established in 1980, was the only source of primary education for girls. It was later upgraded to a middle school in 1985 and high school in 1990. In 2005, the school was upgraded to a higher secondary school due to its excellent reputation and increasing number of students.

“There was only one higher secondary school in the area. It was the only hope for the younger generation. Students from far flung areas, especially from the mountains of Jinakwat, where the frontier constabulary has conducted two massive operations against militants, would come to the school to get education,” said a local resident asking not to be named.

“We cannot speak to anyone; neither can we condemn this terrible incident. There is no law and order here and anyone who raises his voice can be beheaded anytime,” he added.

“I can name the girls who have studied here. Some of them have become doctors now, while some of them are studying in medical and engineering universities,” he said, adding that some of the former students started teaching at the school later.

The students told The Express Tribune that the school was like a second home to them, and they did not have the words to describe how grieved they were over the incident.

“I will continue my studies no matter what it costs me. The militants can blow up our schools, but they cannot stop our quest for knowledge,” said Maria Saif, who topped the school in matriculation exams in 2010 and intermediate part I this year after securing 352 marks out of 550.

Similarly, the first student of Bannu Medical College from the area, asking not to be named, said she was heartbroken over the incident and she could not stop crying every time she passed near it. “The dusty fans and the gray blackboards remind me of the days I spent at the school. The classrooms, the playground, the veranda…I don’t know why they did all this to my school.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2011.