UNICEF raises alarm over rising School Attacks in northern Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – Attacks on girls’ schools in northwestern region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa witnessed upward trend with nine schools targeted so far in 2026 and over 1,000 students affected, and now UNICEF warned that fear and violence are pushing children, especially girls, further away from classrooms and deeper into an already severe education crisis.

A fresh attack on a girls’ school in Tank District has intensified fears over the growing wave of violence targeting educational institutions in the province, prompting strong condemnation from UNICEF.

In a statement issued from Islamabad on 12 May 2026, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan Pernille Ironside expressed deep concern after a Government Girls Primary School in Kamdabak was reportedly blown up with explosives.

The latest incident marks the ninth reported attack on a school in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since the start of 2026, leaving more than 1,000 students affected and spreading panic among families and local communities already struggling with insecurity.

Although no fatalities were reported in the Kamdabak blast, earlier violence had already exposed the dangers faced by educators and students. In January 2026, a drone strike on a school in North Waziristan injured two teachers and a school principal, raising serious questions about the safety of schools in conflict-hit regions.

UNICEF warned that the repeated attacks are worsening an already devastating education crisis in the province, where an estimated 4.5 million children between the ages of five and sixteen remain out of school. Girls continue to suffer the most, facing major obstacles to accessing education in many affected areas.

Calling schools “safe havens” that should never come under attack, UNICEF stressed that violence against educational institutions is a direct assault on children’s rights and their future. The agency urged immediate action to protect schools, restore damaged learning facilities, and ensure children can return to classrooms without fear.

UNICEF also reaffirmed its support for the affected students, teachers, parents, and communities, insisting that the right to safe and uninterrupted education must be protected under all circumstances.

Pakistan continues to face a major education challenge, with nearly 13.4 million girls still out of school, according to the Girls’ Education Statistics and Trends Report 2023-24. Overall, around 26.2 million children aged 5–16 are not attending school nationwide. Girls in rural regions, especially in Sindh and Balochistan, remain the most affected due to poverty, cultural barriers, lack of schools, poor infrastructure, and safety concerns.

Although progress has been made, including rise in girls’ primary school completion rates to nearly 89%, large gaps remain at the secondary education level.