HELMAND (SW): Officials from the Helmand Directorate of Education expressed concern over the closure of nearly 30 schools in the province saying that the security forces have been using these schools as barricades in the war against Taliban.
Dawood Shah Espari, the head of Helmand Directorate of Education told Salam Watandar that the Directorate of Education had sent a number of requests for the reopening of the schools to the governor and security chief of Helmand, but to no avail.
Meanwhile, a number of the students from these schools told Salam Watandar about their problems while their schools have been used as barricades in the fight against Taliban.
Mohammad Farid and Ishaq, two students in the Nad Ali district said that security forces have been using their school as a barricade in the fight with Taliban which deprived them of education. They informed that the security forces have been deployed in schools after evicting Taliban from Nad Ali district.
According to them, school buildings and facilities have all been destroyed. Farid and Ishaq informed that they have not been back to school for nearly two years.
The officials at the Helmand Directorate of Education told Salam Watandar that according to the new plan, the Helmand Directorate of Education will begin the reconstruction and renovation of these damaged schools shortly.
ENDS