It is no small fight.
Globally, between 2009-13, some 9600 attacks were carried out on schools and teachers, not including crossfire incidents or the random "deranged student goes berserk" style attacks common particularly in the US.
While the reasons were many and varied - from striking against the government to enlisting child soldiers to protests against particular methods or technologies or beliefs - at base education is targeted because it is an empowering force.
Or it should be. In developed countries, the cost is debt.
Student debt in the US has quadrupled since 2004, to some US$1.2trillion ($1.5trillion), and more than 700,000 people over 65 are still paying off student loans.
In New Zealand, student debt is about $14.2billion, on average for new graduates $30,000 each.
For some, it may take a lifetime to repay.
At the same time, a global study has found less than a third of teachers believe they are valued by society.
Western countries value teachers less (only 5 per cent in France) while Asian and emerging countries value them more (84 per cent in Malaysia), the educators say.
Many experts believe teacher quality is the most important factor in learning outcomes.
Interestingly in South Korea, the Netherlands and Chile (all regional leaders in their education systems), the best teachers are found working with the most disadvantaged students - the opposite of what is standard in Britain, or, often, here.
Charter schools may theoretically provide incentive for good teachers to work with low socio-economic students, but in general top schools that can pay better get the better professionals.
The government's proposed pay-by-results methodology may only exacerbate that.
There are also inherent factors, such as racism, to resolve.
A recent study showed "teacher expectation" was the main reason Maori and Pacific Island children started to fail at school as early as six weeks into Class 1.
Yes, that quick, because their teachers expected them to.
Attacks come in many forms.
Te Ra Waldorf School on the Kapiti Coast was accused of inherent racism last year because Rudolf Steiner wrote some thoughts about race distinction that reflected the values of a century ago but seem not only racist but outright childish today.
Just because Steiner wrote those words does not mean they are part of the Waldorf curriculum, and the Steiner Federation, backed by the Ministry of Education, has unequivocally repudiated that idea.
But because the initial complaint was not well handled, and then beaten up in a provocative Listener article, some unjustified stain remains.
All these challenges prove that education cannot be effective with a "one size fits all" approach.
They also prove that as a society we need to take a leaf from Malala's book, cherish education for life, and teach each individual what he or she needs to know, not what some rote method prescribes.
If notional "national standards" are our best answer, we have a long way to go towards providing quality education.
No wonder the minister is ranked a lowly tenth.
That's the right of it.
Bruce Bisset is a freelance writer and poet.
