Megan Reed, Campus Carrier News Editor
On Oct. 9, 2012, Malala Yousafzai, 15, boarded her school bus in the northwest Pakistani district of SWAT. Masked Taliban gunmen soon entered the bus full of schoolchildren, singled out Malala and shot her in the head and neck.
Malala, now 16, survived the attack and has since become a household name. Her story of incredible courage has been covered extensively by the media, and she has become the unofficial face of the movement to promote girls’ education in developing countries.
She was targeted by the Taliban for her activism to promote education for girls. Her father ran one of the last schools to defy the Taliban’s rules against female education, and when Malala was 11 years old, she began writing an anonymous blog for the British Broadcasting Company about her educational experiences. She was featured in several documentaries about education, and she often spoke about her dreams of becoming a doctor.
Her vision for education and equal opportunities for Pakistani girls spread as she became more prominent and was awarded Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize by then- Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
The Taliban responded to Malala’s activism with the attack against her.
The world was shocked to hear about this act of violence against a 15-year-old who simply wanted an education. A year later, Malala’s name is still synonymous with the movement for universal education in the Middle East. She is known worldwide by first name only, and her face still graces magazine covers and cable news channels. She met Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on Oct. 18, and her visit was highly publicized.
The world will not be forgetting about Malala anytime soon, either.
Education is often taken for granted. While the quality of education available and school performance does vary widely among schools in different areas, most American children have access to a public school. American public schools are flawed, and all schools are not created equal, but a 15-year-old girl in the U.S. can board a school bus and be confident that the government supports her decision to seek an education. She can sit in class, share her opinions and form career goals with the knowledge that she is not breaking any laws. Some people with extreme conservative views may challenge her aspirations and claim that she should pursue a more traditional role, but legally, she is free to take advantage of the public schooling she is offered.
Malala’s situation is unimaginable to most American students. When I was fifteen years old, I was a high school sophomore in the suburbs of Atlanta. I never felt endangered when I attended school and spoke about my views and experiences.
Like most of my peers, I never thought of the possibility of my education being made illegal. I had lived near public schools my whole life, and attending school had become so routine that I was becoming bored with it.
But there were moments when I understood how inspiring and influential education can be, and these memorable moments now help me see why Malala fights so hard. When I was accepted into Berry, I eagerly planned for the next stage of my education. At these times, I began to appreciate the educational opportunities I had been given, and I saw education’s role in finding a purpose in life and cultivating self-confidence.
Sometimes, I still think of Malala when I worry about writing a paper or studying for an exam. It is so easy to feel ungrateful for education when it becomes overwhelming, but with education comes responsibility—a responsibility to put it to good use and to help others who do not have the same privileges.
Education is worth fighting for.