Rain damages school built by Watapur residents

ASADABAD (Pajhwok): Residents of the Watapur district of eastern Kunar province say the school building they have constructed on their own has been damaged by rain and the government should address this problem.

Haji Abdul Wali, a tribal elder from the Spera area of the district, told Pajhwok Afghan News they had constructed the six-room high school building 25 years ago.

However, the building has now been damaged by rains. “Living in a mountainous area; we didn’t have a building for a high or middle school.

“We built the six-room school years ago with local people’s assistance, but it was damaged by rains and we fear it may collapse,” the resident said, warning of harm to students.

While urging authorities to repair the school, he said on rainy days, students were asked to stay home.

Zar Wali Wardak, a schoolteacher, confirmed children of more than 1,500 families living in the area were studying under the open sky due to the lack of a proper building.

“About 500 students are enrolled in this school. They cannot sit in classrooms because of fear of the roof and walls collapsing. We are forced to teach them under the open sky.”

He urged the government to address the problem on priority and let pupils continue their studies without any fear.

An education department official said: “We have taken a close look at the building for the school, whose rooms are damaged. We are trying to repair school buildings in other areas of Kunar, including this one.”

He said after the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, three new school buildings had been constructed, 44 renovated and 27 more reconstructed with the support of donors.

sa/mud

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