The Road to Education Should Not Lead to Tragedy

Asem Mustafa Awan

There are sights that remain etched in memory long after the moment has passed. Across Pakistan, children travelling on overcrowded buses remain a familiar sight. Students sit on rooftops, cling to the backs of vehicles and squeeze into spaces never designed to carry them. What should be an ordinary journey to school becomes a daily gamble with their lives.

Behind these journeys are families struggling to secure a better future for their children. Education is often their greatest hope of escaping poverty, but when safe and affordable transport is unavailable, reaching the classroom becomes another challenge. Parents make sacrifices for fees, uniforms and books, yet their children may still face danger before the first lesson begins.

A sudden brake, a missed grip or a fall beneath the wheels can turn a family's dreams into lifelong grief. Such tragedies should not be dismissed as unavoidable accidents when overcrowding, unsafe practices and weak enforcement can be addressed.

Pakistan's education crisis makes the situation even more disturbing. UNICEF estimates that 25.1 million children aged five to 16 are out of school, representing around 35 per cent of that age group.

For those who do attend, safe transport should be a basic requirement, not a privilege reserved for families who can afford better alternatives.

Poverty compounds the problem. The World Bank's October 2025 assessment estimated that 45 per cent of Pakistan's population lived below its international poverty threshold of $4.20 a day in FY2025. This is an international measure rather than Pakistan's national poverty line, but it highlights the financial pressures facing millions of households.

Meanwhile, education debates repeatedly return to curriculum revisions, a common syllabus and uniform standards. These may have value, but no textbook can protect a child travelling on an overloaded vehicle. Reform must begin with functioning schools, qualified teachers, safe transport and effective enforcement.

Authorities must enforce passenger limits, inspect school transport and hold reckless operators accountable. Affordable alternatives must also be available to families who cannot pay more.

A child's right to education cannot endanger the child's right to life. Progress must be measured not only by policies announced, but by children who reach school safely and return home.

The road to education should lead to opportunity, not tragedy.

Photo APP