Paktians want work resumed on 103 school buildings

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Residents and civil society activists of southeastern Paktia province say construction work on 103 school buildings is yet to be started despite promises of government officials 20 months ago.

MujibRahmanKarimi, Rural Rehabilitation and Development Minister, inaugurated construction of the 103 school buildings in Paktia in 2019 and had said that all the buildings would be constructed in a year.

However, no practical work on the school buildings could be launched after 20 months of his promise.

At that time, Karimi during a trip to Paktia had told Pajhwok Afghan News that he inaugurated construction of school buildings in Paktia following a direction from the president. He had said that construction of school buildings was a program being implemented in districts and capital of Paktia province.

He had said that the project would cost 780 million Afghanis and implementation of the scheme was a priority of his ministry.

Construction of the buildings was started by laying the foundation stone of Shah Afzali Primary School in Sayedan village in Gardez city, the provincial capital.

Paktia provincial council members, civil society activists and residents criticized non-implementation of the project after the passage of 20 months and accused the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development of discrimination.

Abdul Malik Zazai, provincial council head of Paktia, said that projects’ implementation in the province was paid no attention and most of them remained only as pledges.

“There is a serious need for construction of school buildings and implementation of other projects in Paktia. Security in the province is better compared to many other areas of the country, but projects are still not implemented here,” he said.

Haji Abdullah, a tribal elder from Sayedan village, said that no one followed the construction of school buildings after its foundation stone was laid.

“It is very bad when officials on a higher level come for inauguration of something and then abandon it,” he said.

Omaid, a student of sixth grade in Shah Afzali Primary School in Sayedan village said that he was very happy when construction work on their school building was inaugurated.

“We still learn lessons in dust and under sunlight, and when it is raining, we cannot attend our classes. We were very happy that we would be learning in classrooms like in other schools, but no classrooms are made for us,” he said.

However, Paktia Rural Rehabilitation and Development Department says that the project would be reconsidered.

FazalHadiAsim, director of Rehabilitation and Development Department of Paktia said that the government of Saudi Arabia wanted to review areas where school buildings were supposed to be constructed in order to prevent any problems in the future.

He said that they were trying to start practical work on the project and complete it as soon as possible.

Of 103 schools, 92 required new buildings while 11 others would be repaired, according to local officials.

According to Paktia Education Department, there are a total of 405 educational centers and schools in the province but 75 of them are without buildings.

Mds/ma