3 Kandahar schools reopen after years-long closure

KANDAHAR (Pajhwok): Three schools, which had been shut for years due to security concerns, reopened on Monday in the Shah Walikot district of southern Kandahar province, officials said.

Kandahar education director Qari Muhibullah Qadiri told Pajhwok Afghan News he reopened the schools in Chagto, Chinar and Kandalono villages.

He said the schools had been closed for a long time and their reopening enabled hundreds of children to resume their studies.

The director said students of the schools had been transferred to schools in Babarano Sozeni, Mardozi and Kala villages where security situation was good.

As many as 450 students study in the three schools and their number may increase. The Education Department has started efforts at reopening closed schools, Qadiri said.

Haji Abdu Ghani, administrative chief of Shah Walikot district, said people would be encouraged to keep schools open and send their children to school.

Shah Walikot district council head Haji Zahir Khan told Pajhwok Afghan News thousands of children had been deprived of an education due to closer of schools in the country.

There are 17 schools in Shah Walikot district and 12 of them are still closed for security reasons. Education officials say insecurity, lack of professional teachers and other problems are main factors behind closure of schools.

Across Kandahar, there are 573 schools and only 420 of them have been operational and 153 closed.

kh/ma