By Abdul Karim
The threat of closing girls’ schools in Lower South Waziristan is more than a security concern. It highlights how quickly years of educational progress can be reversed when insecurity reaches the classroom.
The district has 184 government girls’ schools and more than 18 private institutions, serving over 10,000 female students. But security threats, damaged buildings, limited facilities and the lack of higher-education institutions continue to restrict girls’ access to education.
Recent threats reported in parts of Birmal, Wana and Toi Khwla have raised concern among students and parents. Deputy Commissioner Masrat Zaman said authorities were addressing the issue through the District Intelligence and Security Committee, while DSP Nadir Wazir confirmed that threats had been reported in several areas.
Keeping schools open, however, is only the first step. Parents must also feel safe sending their daughters to school, and students must be able to attend without fear.
The Cost of Closure
The consequences of school closures can last long after the gates are shut. Girls who leave school may struggle to return, while prolonged interruptions can permanently affect their education.
Government Girls High School Janan Kot has reportedly been damaged, affecting more than 400 girls. Among them is Nabila Wazir, who scored 1,071 out of 1,200 marks in her matriculation examination. With no functioning girls’ college nearby and security concerns limiting mobility, she is considering moving to Dera Ismail Khan to continue her education.
Her situation reflects a wider problem: when a school closes in a remote area, education can become inaccessible rather than simply inconvenient.
A Wider National Problem
South Waziristan is not alone. Schools across Pakistan, particularly in conflict-affected areas, have faced attacks, threats and destruction.
The December 16, 2014 Army Public School attack in Peshawar, in which 149 people, including 132 children, were killed, remains one of the country’s most devastating attacks on an educational institution.
But insecurity also causes quieter losses: teachers who stop reporting to work, schools that remain damaged and girls who permanently abandon their education.
Security and Education
In areas such as South Waziristan, education and security cannot be treated as separate issues. Schools need teachers, facilities and learning materials, but they also need safe buildings, secure routes and conditions that give parents confidence.
Rebuilding damaged schools must therefore be accompanied by effective security and administrative measures. At the same time, security concerns should not result in prolonged or indefinite school closures.
There is also a critical gap beyond secondary education. Without colleges, vocational institutions and safe transportation, many girls who complete school have few realistic opportunities to continue.
The government therefore needs to look beyond simply keeping school buildings open. Girls need a continuous and safe pathway from primary education to secondary school, college and professional training.
Education as Part of the Solution
Education should not be viewed only as a casualty of insecurity. It can also be part of the response.
A functioning school provides young people with opportunities and strengthens the connection between communities and the state. For girls, continued education can influence not only their own futures but also the educational and economic prospects of future generations.
For thousands of girls in South Waziristan, the challenge is clear: schools must be protected, damaged institutions restored, teachers supported and pathways to higher education created.
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