Islamabad, June 1, 2025: UNICEF has expressed deep sorrow and outrage over the tragic death of a 12-year-old boy in Jamrud, Khyber District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reportedly caused by corporal punishment during a school assembly.
The organization extended heartfelt condolences to the grieving family, classmates, and the broader community impacted by the heartbreaking loss.
In a strongly worded statement, UNICEF condemned all forms of corporal punishment, whether in schools, homes, or other institutions, stressing that violence against children is never acceptable. “Schools must be sanctuaries of safety and learning, where children are nurtured and protected,” the statement read.
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Calling the incident “a profound betrayal of the trust placed in educational institutions by parents and students,” UNICEF underscored the long-term physical and psychological harm inflicted by corporal punishment, warning that such violence stunts children's development, affects their well-being, and undermines their ability to reach their full potential.
UNICEF urged the Government of Pakistan to enforce existing laws that ban corporal punishment, provide comprehensive training to educators on positive, non-violent disciplinary methods, and work toward shifting entrenched cultural norms that allow such practices to persist. These steps, the agency emphasized, are part of Pakistan’s commitment as a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
“Every child has the right to receive an education in a safe, protective, nurturing environment,” UNICEF said. “Children must never be the target of violence. Their rights must be upheld at all times.”
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