LASHKARGAH (SW): Education Department officials in the restive southern Helmand province fear lack of funds would seriously hinder the literacy drive in this part of the country.
Helmand remains one of the worst militancy-hit provinces that saw many schools being torched by the armed rebels. The relative peace however, has created a window of opportunity to provide much needed education to the younger generation. According to the Helmand Education department, this year they have received at least afn 63 million less from the central government.
Abdul Matin Jaffar, Director Education Helamand informed that around one hundred formerly closed or non-functional schools have been re-opened and made functional recently. He added 18 new schools have been inaugurated as well. Lack of funds however, pose serious threat to sustain the current level of education and efforts to further improve it, he regretted.
According to the local Education Department, Helmand received afn 348.9 million for the previous year but this year the allocation has declined to afn 283.9 million.
Helmand Civil society believes education is the key to enlighten the population and counter militancy. “Education should remain a top priority of the local and central government”, Agha Mohammad Qureshi, a local activist said.
Seperately, the Ministry of Education (MoE) on Saturday inaugurated a new administrative unit and a secondary school in Helmand province. MoE said via a communiqué that the administrative unit cost $ 276 million funded by the government of Denmark.
ENDS
