Almost half of Badakhshan, Daikundi schools without buildings

FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): Nearly half of the state-run schools in northern Badakhshan and central Daikundi provinces are without buildings and the students of these schools study in the open air, according to local officials on Sunday.

Enayatullah Sahar, head of the Daikunid Education Department, told Pajhwok Afghan News total of 431 schools existed in the province out of which 170 schools in different districts were without buildings.

He said the construction of two school buildings had been completed and would be opened in the coming days, the construction of 30 more school buildings were in the plan for the next year and the contracts of 17 buildings had been signed so far.

Enayatullah said the non-availability of school infrastructure was one of the challenges faced by the students in the province, adding that some students study in the open air due to which their studies had been affected.

He stressed the Education Department worked hard to provide quality education opportunities for the people.

Faizullah, one of the class-tenth students, said: “Our school is without a building and sometimes we study in the Mosque, sometimes the Education Department provides a tent and we study inside the tent which is very difficult for us.”

He said: “For several years, we studied together with students from more than six classes in a hall under one umbrella, and because of the noise of students from other classes, we could not learn the lesson properly.

Qaim Ali, another school student in Daikundi, said due to the non-availability of school buildings, they sometimes study in the open air, and if the students have a suitable educational environment, their interest in education will increase.

According to local officials in Daikundi, 133,000 students — 71,000 boys and 61,000 girls are enrolled in schools.

Separately, local officials in Badakhshan province said most of the 646 schools in 27 administrative units of the province were without buildings and other essential facilities and the students have to study in the open air.

Abdul Ghani Abid, deputy head of the Education Department Broadcast Department, said as a result of the past wars most boys and girls schools in Yaftal Payan, Juram, Wardoj, Tashkan, Raghistan, Shuhada and Baharak districts are fully destroyed or partially damaged and required an urgent rehabilitation.

He said over 225,000 boys and 183,000 girls are getting education in 646 high, intermediate and primary schools.

These students are imparted education by 11,100 teachers, including 3,895 women teachers.

He said the buildings of some schools had been destroyed during past wars which needed 13 million afs for rehabilitation.

Ghulam Mohammad Atashpour, a civil society activist in the province, said The Islamic Emirate, along with other fundamental works it has done, should focus on the reconstruction of schools destroyed by wars so that students can continue their studies in a safe environment.

Ahmad Yasir, 14, a resident of Farghamero village of Juram district, said he and his other class fellow study in open air because there is no building for the school.

He said the heat of the sun in the summer season and the monsoon rains sometimes prevent them from going to school, but they have to afford the sun and the rain and study for the sake of their bright future.

He asked the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) and aid-providing organisations to construct a building for their school so that he could achieve his dream of becoming a doctor and serve the country.

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