KANDAHAR (SW) – Dozens of schools have been closed down in Kandahar province amid fierce fighting between the security forces and the Taliban insurgents.
The Arghandab, Panjwai, Zeray and Maiwand districts of Kandahar province have been witnessing severe clashes for the past five months. Arghandab district in the province has been dubbed as the most mined districts with the insurgents planting scores of landmines in various parts.
Nazar Mohammad Samimi, head of the media department at the Kandahar Education Department, told Salam Watandar that hundreds of displaced families and between 20,000 and 25,000 students, including girls, had been deprived of education due to the clashes in the districts.
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According to the head of the media department of the Kandahar Department of Education, a number of schools have been damaged during the clashes. “In total, it can be said that 14 schools in Arghandab district, 14 schools in Zeray district, 10 schools in Maiwand district and 7 schools in Panjwai district have been damaged due to the recent clashes and as a result of these clashes, 20,000 to 25,000 students have been deprived of education. »
Nazar Mohammad Samimi added that if security is ensured, people will return to their homes and there will be no problems in the education process.
Meanwhile, a number of students from the above-mentioned districts of Kandahar province who have been displaced to Kandahar City or other districts have urged the government to ensure the security of their areas so that they can continue their education. According to them, much of their academic year has been lost to fighting as the final exams have started in Kandahar city and other districts of this province.
“There is war in our village, we have been displaced here,” said Ahmad, a student in Kandahar. “We are now left behind in terms of studies, all of us want to go back home and continue with our study.”
Another displaced student Fareeda said the students have been out of school for five months now. “We want the war to stop so that we can learn our lessons in peace”, she said.
Parents of some of these students expressed serious concern that they are worried about their children’s future because on the one hand, their orchards and houses have been destroyed due to the conflict, and on the other hand, their children have been deprived of education.
ENDS
