In Uruzgan; above 84,000 children deprived of education

TIRINKOT (Pajhwok): More than 80,000 children are growing illiterate due to lack of schools in their areas in central Uruzgan province.

Maulvi Shamsullah Kamran Akhundzada, director of education, told Pajhwok Afghan News that currently 258 schools existed in districts and Tirinkot City, but some of them remained closed.

However, he said, with the help of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and some other aid agencies, they were able to reopen 44 closed and damaged schools for students last year.

He said about 84,000 children were deprived of education in the province because the number of children far exceeded the number of schools.

Akhundzada was concerned about the future of the out-of-school children and said if new schools were not built, tens of thousands of children would remain deprived of education.

The education official said more than 100,000 children were currently studying in schools across the province and this year alone 19,000 new comers were enrolled in primary classes.

He asked national and international aid agencies to cooperate with his department in the construction of new schools in the province.

Meanwhile, residents of different areas expressed their concern about the large number of children deprived of education due to lack of schools.

Habib Rahman, a resident of Tirinkot City, said that the past conflicts had deprived many children of education.

He said currently there was no security problem and the government should open schools in areas lacking schools.

Attaullah Afghan, a social activist, expressed concern about the so many children who were deprived of education.

He said Uruzgan lagged behind other provinces in the education sector.

The last two decades of wars severely affected the education process in Uruzgan, the activist said.

Afghan suggested that special attention should be paid to problems plaguing the education sector by taking advantage of the current stability.

He asked the IEA and aid agencies to work together to build schools required in the province.

He added: “Most leaders of the current government are residents of this province, so we urge them to improve the education sector of Uruzgan from its current situation.”

Meanwhile, residents said schools should be built for children living in areas that are far away from schools.

Shamsullah, 14, a resident of Nizazo area of Chora district, who is a 7^th grade, said: “There is no school in our area, we are forced to go to the district bazaar every day where a school exists and there are many children who do not go to school.”

However, last week about 70 schools and seminaries were damaged due to flash floods in the provincial capital and districts and officials say it has negatively affected the educational process.

sa/ma