Why Education Must Go Beyond Books: A Tragedy That Could Have Been Prevented
Recently in Swat, a heartbreaking incident claimed the lives of 12 members of the same family including children. They were trapped on a sandbar when the river suddenly rose due to heavy rains. For over an hour, they waited for help. But no government department, no emergency team, no Rescue 1122 no one came. And when the river surged again, it swallowed them whole.
This was not just a natural disaster. This was a failure of our education system, our emergency services, and our national priorities.
At City Educational Academy, we believe true education is not just about academics — it’s about preparing our children for life.
Why Don’t Our Schools Teach Life-Saving Skills?
In many countries, schools actively prepare children for emergencies:
- First Aid and CPR Training
In Canada, students are taught how to handle basic medical emergencies, including CPR, before they reach high school.
- Disaster Response Drills
Japanese schools conduct regular earthquake and evacuation drills. Children are trained to stay calm, move quickly, and help others during emergencies.
- Flood and Water Safety
Australia includes water safety programs in its school system. Students learn swimming techniques, how to float if trapped in floodwater, and how to avoid panic.
- Heatstroke and Weather Awareness
In the United States, especially in warmer states, schools teach children how to recognize heatstroke and what steps to take to stay safe during extreme temperatures.
- Survival Skills and Risk Awareness
In Germany, schools cover disaster awareness and community response planning, especially in areas that have experienced flooding in recent years.
These countries invest in teaching young people how to protect themselves and others — something we urgently need in Pakistan.
-
In Japan, children learn how to survive earthquakes from an early age.
-
In Finland, students are taught water safety, flood survival, and how to stay calm in a crisis.
-
Even basic CPR and first-aid training is common in classrooms worldwide.
But in Pakistan, our students learn math, science, and history yet they don’t know how to survive if a flood occurs, or how to help someone drowning.
Imagine if those children in Swat had been taught how to move to higher ground…
Or if their parents had basic knowledge of flood risk zones…
They might still be with us today.
The Way Forward: What Should Be Done
At City Educational Academy – Trusted Home Tutors in Islamabad & Rawalpindi, we strongly advocate for the integration of life-saving skills and safety awareness training into the national syllabus.
Here’s what needs to happen:
1. Include Life Skills in the School Curriculum
We must teach children how to survive real-life dangers like floods, fires, earthquakes, and more. These are not optional skills. They are essential.
2. Parental Awareness and Community Training
Parents need guidance too. Our home tuition services can play a powerful role in helping families understand basic emergency responses, especially through one-on-one coaching.
3. Upgrade Emergency Services like Rescue 1122
This incident highlights how underprepared our rescue services are. Investment in training, equipment, and response time must become a government priority.
4. Support Online Tuition That Teaches Real-Life Skills
Online education in Pakistan should evolve beyond textbooks. Subjects like environmental awareness, disaster survival, and water safety for children must become part of digital learning platforms.
A Responsibility We All Share
If we keep ignoring these gaps, we will keep losing innocent lives. The solution lies in upgrading our education system, training teachers and tutors, and partnering with parents to raise a generation that is not only intelligent but also safe, aware, and prepared.
At City Educational Academy, we aim to provide not just subject tutoring, but also the kind of real-world learning that builds strong, resilient individuals.
City Educational Academy: Taking Responsibility Through Education
At CityHomeTutors.pk, we believe education should go beyond academics. Whether through home tuition in Islamabad or online tuition across Pakistan, we support teaching students essential survival skills.
We are actively promoting the idea that schools in Pakistan should include disaster preparedness as part of their regular curriculum. This includes:
- Educating children on how to respond during floods, earthquakes, and other emergencies
- Providing teachers and tutors with the training to teach basic first aid
- Encouraging families to discuss safety at home and during tuition sessions
Through our experienced network of tutors, City Educational Academy is ready to help integrate these life-saving lessons into one-on-one learning — both at home and online.
How Parents and Tutors Can Help
Every child deserves to know how to stay safe. Whether you’re hiring a home tutor in Rawalpindi or booking online tuition for your child in Lahore, make sure they’re learning more than just textbooks.
Ask your tutor:
- Are you teaching students how to stay safe in floods or extreme weather?
- Can you include basic first aid or emergency tips in your sessions?
- Are you helping build the child’s confidence to handle unexpected situations?
We encourage all our tutors to include these practical lessons where possible.
A Better Future Begins with Smarter Education
The recent tragedy in Swat was devastating, but it can be a turning point. If schools, academies, and parents work together, we can prepare our children not just for exams — but for real life.
CityHomeTutors.pk stands with every parent, teacher, and student who believes in responsible, practical education. We are committed to being part of the solution and building a safer, more prepared generation.
🔍 Learn more or find a tutor today at CityHomeTutors.pk
Leave a Reply