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PUL-I-KHUMRI (SW): Some 50 percent schools in northern Baghlan province do not have proper structures/ buildings, leaving thousands of children to either study in the open air or quit.
Baghlan is situated at some 200 kilometers north of Kabul. The province has 537 registered public schools, half of which are deprived of proper structure.
Abdul Qadir Rasuli, Provincial Director for Education, fears that prevailing situation would leave thousands of children in this part of the country illiterate. In an exclusive interview, he told Salam Watandar, that the academic activities get suspended in harsh weather as these schools are vulnerable to chilly, rainy and warm weathers.
This comes at a time when the new academic year has commenced across the country. But, in Baghlan, instead of new enrolments, the rate of dropouts is on the rise due to lack of facilities, Rasuli said. He informed that despite arranging two and sometimes three and four shifts in the available facilities, many students are lading behind.
Baghlan’s Education Department has managed to establish 30 new schools this year, thanks to the support from the international community. Many students however, argue that females’ education is not given the due attention.
Latest clashes between the militants and the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have seriously damaged 12 schools in the province’s Dand-i-Ghouri and Dand-i-Shahab areas. The Education Department believes it can only manage to rebuild 8 of them.
ENDS
