Private education centers face stagnation in Herat

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Owners and teachers of private educational centers in western Herat province say they have lost students and the absence of girls has dulled their activities.

Zamarai Mukhtar Barakzai, manager of Atai Educational Center in Herat, said that 50 percent of their students were girls and their absence had a negative impact on the private educational centers.

He said the attendance of male students in the private educational centers had also decreased due to people’s poor economic situation.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Yaqoob, one of the teachers in these centers, said the closure of schools against girls had also eroded the boys’ interest in study.

He said male students had demotivated and their number was decreasing with each passing day.

However, some students of the private centers, told Pajhwok that despite financial problems, they wanted to continue their lessons and hoped for a bright future.

Abdul Jalil, a high school graduate who is preparing for the university entrance test, said the presence of girls in universities and educational centers was good for positive academic competition between boys and girls.

On the other hand, Mohammad Arif Ramish, head of private educational centers union, said 30 percent of such centers had been closed due to financial problems.

He said the rest 70 percent also ran the risk of closing down if the same situation continued until spring.

He cited closure of girls’ schools, excessive taxes and high rents of buildings among main problems the private education centers faced.

Maulvi Abdullah Amini, director of Herat Education Department, acknowledged to Pajhwok that the private educational centers were facing serious problems.

He said he had shared the issue in writing with Kabul officials, but received no response as yet.

The Ministry of Education through a letter has asked the provincial Education Department to close girls’ schools above sixth grade until further notice.

Girls hope their schools will be reopened in the next academic year beginning next month.

sa/ma

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