Ghor residents want more schools reconstructed

FEROZKOH (Pajhwok): Ten school buildings have been completed while work on as many others has begun, in western Ghor province, officials say.

But parents/guardians of some students, appreciating the initiative to reconstruct school buildings, deplore a number of pupils are still studying under tents and open sky.

Education officials say they have launched the reconstruction of 10 school buildings with 30 million afs. They also plan to rebuild more schools with assistance from certain organisations.

Education Director Hafizullah Mahfooz told Pajhwok Afghan News 10 school buildings had been restored with financial assistance from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and handed over to his department.

He said: “Since the Islamic Emirate’s takeover, 10 schools have been repaired in Ferozkoh, the provincial capital, and Pasaband, Chahar Sada and Murghab districts at a cost of 24 million afs.

“During this period, four toilets have also been built or restored at a cost of 4 million afs in Ferozkoh,” the director revealed.

The reconstruction of 10 more schools was also planned by some supportive organizations in the provincial capital and in some districts, he said.

“We have already discussed with some organisations a proposal for the reconstruction of 20 school buildings this year. Work on 10 of them has been agreed. We also hope for an agreement on the rebuilding of the remaining 10 schools after the winter,” he added.

The second phase of rebuilding school buildings would cost over 30 million afs, Mahfuz disclosed.

Education officials believed the number of schools reconstructed was not enough. They urged more efforts to build/reconstruct more schools with assistance from UNICEF or the Ministry of Educations (MoE).

Educations, on the other hand, acknowledged the reconstruction of school buildings could provide a better teaching environment for students.

One of them, Ghulam Nabi Rasuli, noted the poor quality of most of school buildings constructed over the past two decades, citing insecurity and lack of supervision as reasons.

“The more the government tries to promote education, the higher the level of students’ knowledge and awareness will be. There is no doubt that school buildings have a direct impact on education’s quality”, Rasuli remarked.

Guardians and parents, while appreciating the reconstruction work, called for rebuilding schools in far-flung areas, where students were taught under tents or the open sky.

Ghulam Ghaus, father of a student in Ferozkoh, saidL “Schools in some remote districts like Pasaband, Tiora, Saghar and areas like Allah Yar still have no buildings. As a result, students have to study under tents or the open sky. It will be better for the government to address the issue of school buildings.”

Ghulam Ghaus also urged the department to pay greater attention to the quality of education and raise children into responsible citizens to serve their country in the future.

However, students want the government and other institutions supporting the education sector to recruit professional teachers and to renovate school buildings and provide them more education materials.

Abdul Sami Hanifi, an 11th grader at the Sultan Allauddin Ghori School, welcomed efforts by the the education department and donors for the recruitment of professional teachers.

Hanafi asked government officials to monitor teachers while delivering lectures in classes in addition to addressing other issues.

aw/mud