1 or 2 teachers run a school in each Faryab district

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Residents of different districts in northern Faryab province say schools in their areas lack teachers an issue admitted by local education officials.

Residents say one or maximum two teachers run a school of 250 to 300 students, which they term “a huge injustice”.

Jalaluddin Pahlawan, head of village council of Tort Atta in Dawlatabad district, said the primary girls’ school here was established 13 years ago and since then one teacher had been teaching more than 300 students.

He said: “In addition to the lack of teachers in this school, it also lacks building and students are studying in people’s homes or under tents. Fortunately, the construction of a building began last week, but more importantly, we need more teachers.”

Mullah Saifullah, administrative chief for Dawlatabad district, said not only the educational and administrative affairs of Tort Atta school were run by one teacher, but there were other schools in the district where 250 to 300 students were taught by one teacher. The Education Department should pay serious attention to the shortage of teacher posts, he said.

Meanwhile, Abdul Qadir Basharat, the district education director, said the Dawlat Mohammad Azadi Primary School with more than 300 students was run by one teacher.

The school was established eight years ago and was renovated and inaugurated two weeks ago, but there is no guard to take care of the school.

Bibi Qudrat, a teacher at Tort Atta Girls’ School, says she has been carrying out the heavy responsibility of educational and administrative affairs for about 250 students since 2014 until last year.

She said volunteer teachers were only present during class hours, but she was responsible for official and administrative works, arranging results and taking care of school supplies and documents without any privileges or overtime.

Khal Mohammad, Bibi Qudrat’s brother, says he cooperates with his sister in arranging the school’s administrative documents and has set aside a living room for school affairs to ensure that  children’s education is properly managed.

Azizullah Zahid, a teacher at Makhdoom Gholi Primary School in Qarmoqol district, said the school had eight classrooms and more than 500 students.

“Although I have no additional privileges except salary, I am trying as a principal, teacher, delivery man and school employee, so that people’s children are not deprived of science and knowledge, but I am not satisfied with the knowledge of students,” he said.

He added students were taught 12 subjects for 34 hours a week and this required at least nine teachers, but in some areas only one teacher taught these subjects to 150 students.

Awaz Gildi, a teacher at Qarmaqol Primary School, said 420 students were taught in nine classes by one official teacher and five volunteers, but the students’ academic level was zero.

“Volunteer teachers have less responsibility, they are absent during hot and cold days, most of the days three to four classrooms are without teachers and studens return home without learning their lessons.”

Najmuddin, the father of a student, said his son was fifth grade at Qarmaqol school, but he could not even right a simple letter.

He urged the government to improve appoint teachers in their area school and improve the quality of education.

Meanwhile, Maulvi Mohammad Tahir Javad, director of the education department, acknowledged to Pajhwok Afghan News that 44 primary and secondary schools in the province were managed by one or two teachers and the education department had a shortage of 1,345 teachers.

Jawad, who has just been appointed as the head of the education department, said they inherited the issue of teachers’ shortage from the previous government.

He said they were trying to resolve challenges plaguing 44 primary and secondary schools in all districts by hiring teachers.

He had also raised the issue of shortage of 1,345 teachers with the leadership of the Ministry of Education and hoped this problem would be resolved.

According to the Faryab Education Department, there are more than 500 schools in the province, of which 155 l need building and another 200 need to be repaired.

sa/ma

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