Girls in Logar’s Kharwar district attend classes for first time

PUL-I-ALAM (Pajhwok): Girls have been provided with education opportunity for the first time following the establishment of 50 literacy classes in Kharwar district of central Logar province.

Kharwar is a district in Logar where there have been no girls’ schools for the past 21 years due to security and cultural issues.

A spokesman for the provincial education department, Shahpoor Arab, told Pajhwok Afghan News that Kharwar district, located near capital Kabul, had been deprived of education services for decades.

He added that the education department had tried several times in the last 21 years to open girls schools in the district but the Taliban would not allow it.

However, he said that they recently opened 50 quick learning classes in the district, which for the first time provided education to girls besides boys.

These classes have been opened in people’s homes in different areas of the district. The classes are financially supported by UNICEF, he said.

It is a good start and the education department plans to build a school for girls in the district in the future, Arab added.

On the other hand, residents of the district say that not a single girl in the district has ever attended school since last 21 years.

Jamil, a resident of Gul Khan area of ​​Kharwar district, said that many people considered sending their daughters to schools as a shame and that was the reason no women were educated in the district.

He said that in addition to cultural issues, the Taliban also did not allow girls schools in the area to be opened.

However, he said he was happy there were now 50 quick learning classes in the area, which also provided education opportunity for girls besides boys.

Abdul Rahman, a tribal elder from the district, said, “Our district is left behind in terms of education. Most of our boys are deprived of education, girls are even the second to talk about their education, all the problem is with our own people.”

He urged officials concerned not only to provide education services in the district but also work for public awareness so that people get encouraged to send their children including girls to education.

In the last 21 years, school students in the district graduated only once in 2020.

According to Logar education department officials, there are 304 schools and seminaries in Logar province where 140,000 students including 50,000 of them girls get education.

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