TARINKOT (SW) – Pressing economic hardships have led to closure of schools in Uruzgan, locals and officials told Salam Watandar.
A number of officials and students of private academic centers and schools in Uruzgan say that after the recent political changes in the country and the deteriorating economic situation, many private centers have closed and the rest are in danger of closing.
Zabihullah, whose education center is currently closed due to economic problems, told Salam Watandar that he was forced to close his tution center due to a shortage of students, pending rent and unpaid salaries for teachers.
“Our educational center had been operating in Tarinkot for a long time, but when the political transition came and the economic problems increased, we had to close the educational center because we could not cover the expenses,” he said.
Mohammad Daud Durrani, who owns a private school and a children’s orphanage in central Tarinkot, told Salam Watandar that he had not paid any of his staff since the political upheaval beginning in August last year and that the rent for the school building is still pending.
He said the number of students had reduced and if he could not repay the bills, he would have to close the down.
At the same time, some students at private educational institutions say that due to economic difficulties, they too have turned their backs on education and are working hard for their families.
Mullah Mohammad Asif, director of information and culture in Uruzgan, acknowledged that private educational institutions were facing economic difficulties.
However, he said that in the past, people used to send their children to private centers due to insecurity in the province. “The level of education in Uruzgan has now improved than before, and all educational institutions are open,” he said, adding that under the previous government, people did not have access to public education, security was not guaranteed, and people’s lives and property were not protected. So people had to send their children to private schools.
He added the business of private schools was good back then, but when the Islamic Emirate took charge, people sent their children back to government schools.
According to reports, the number of private academic centers in Uruzgan ranges from 5 to 6, but there is no official information on how many are closed and how many are active now.
The United Nations has expressed concern that economic hardship has forced some students to dropout of school to support their families.
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