WHILE other countries are investing in theirfuture by educatingtheirchildren, offering a healthy and conducive environment that fosters learning, the Sindh government takes the lackadaisical decision to close schools on the anniversary of the tragic Peshawar massacre. Would it not have been more prudent and appropriate to hold especially events at schools with contests and debates signifying the importance of education, human values andrights,esp.that ofthe youngbudding students? It seems common sense is not that common with whosoever is responsible. Can Iurge the people concerned to atleastlearn from the Singaporeans investing in their only resource, namely Human Resources, and stand tall at No. 1 in education globally.

Faisal Habib Roohi Karachi (2) THE government announced a public holiday to pay homage to the innocent departed souls, but this begs the question. Is the closure of all educational institutes a way to pay tribute to the martyred children? Is this a way to remember the massacre? Instead of making it a public holiday, the government should have arranged observing the event and should have asked all citizens to become part of the programme. Thus all educational institutes would have remained open,and teachers shouldhave trained students about how to be brave and truthful.

There should have been candle marches and memory vigils to make young people realise that martyrdom is the goblet of great sacrifice and those who drink from this goblet will become immortal.

However, what really happened? We found our children sleeping in the morning and feeling happy for the off-day, and it is pitiable. Others could not watch the live broadcasts of the ceremony held at Peshawar, due to loadshedding. If the intensity of such days will not be reinforced, then it is human psychology that we neglect what we are not taught, we forget what is not experienced. Don`t let their sacrifice go in vain. It`s time we moulded our educational policies to ensure that such days shall not happen again in the future.

Kainat Tufail Hyderabad (3) DE CEMBER 16 surely is a black day in Pakistan`s history. Our salute goes out to the over 150 martyrs who included innocent children and teachers, who laid down their lives and united the nation.

It`s time we rectified our mistakes, held seminars and educated our children inschools, colleges to defend themselves. But have we been able to ascertain the facts? Af ter all it happened in broad daylight in the cantonment area.

The terrorists made their way into the school by scaling its walls to find a large cache of weapons and explosives inside the school compound. Our valiant armed forces put in their best, but the terrorists achieved their aim.

I believe observing a tragedy of such magnitude by declaring a holiday is not proper.

Wing Comdr (r) Jamshed Akhtar Savut Peshawar