Local Classes Seen Remedy To School Dropouts In Daikundi

NEILI (Pajhwok): Hard to access areas and geographical dispersion of central Daikundi province has not only made provision of basic life services difficult, but in some areas created serious obstacles to children's education.

Some national and international institutions, in cooperation with the provincial Education Department, have taken steps to establish local educational classes in remote and deprived areas to provide an educational environment for children who have dropped out of school.

More than 400 local classes active in Daikundi

The Education Department explains it is not possible to establish formal schools due to difficult geographical conditions and a lack of students in some areas, but UNICEF office has covered thousands of children who have been deprived of education by establishing local classes.

Naqibullah Ahmadi, head of quality assurance at Education Department, told Pajhwok Afghan News in areas where it was not possible to establish formal schools due to geographical location and lack of students, UNICEF, in cooperation with the Rah Rahnavard Social Welfare Organization (RRSWO) and Afghan Development Association (ADA), has established about 403 community-based classes.

“Through these classes, 10,396 out-of-school children have been included in the curriculum and are now engaged in education in their areas”: he added.

According to Ahmadi, these classes are active in areas that either lack formal schools or are difficult for children to access due to long distances and lack of facilities.

He said the program is implemented under the supervision of the Department and that institutions only have a supporting role.

Now, through the efforts of the education department and partner institutions, those children who were deprived of education have been provided with educational opportunities, Ahmadi explained.

Local classes; Door of Hope

Along with education officials, social activists also call this initiative a positive step and explain that difficult access and lack of facilities in education sector is one the serious challenges, and the cooperation of people and institutions is needed to solve this problem.

Din Mohammad Nader Ali, a social activist, said:“The distance between villages is very large, and many children cannot walk to schools in other areas. Establishing local classes was one of the serious needs of people”.

The establishment of these local schools by UNICEF has created a ray of hope in the hearts of students and the people so that no one is deprived of the blessing of education.

“The value and status of local classes in the province are of paramount importance and vital because local classes operate in areas that are far from government schools, and most of the areas where these classes are operational are relatively remote and deprived villages”.

Ali added local classes play a very important role in the growth and development of deprived areas because these community-based schools provide education, literacy, and skills training for the people.

“The activities of some institutions in the educational services sector in the province are commendable. The residents are always indebted to the efforts and support of all institutions and organizations that work towards strengthening education'.

Residents pleased with quality, educational facilities and want to expand such programs.

Also, Hussain Danishyar, another social activist, expressed satisfaction with the educational quality of these classes, and said:“Surveys by the supervisory teams of the Directorate and partner institutions show that students participate in these classes with high interest and motivation, and the quality of teaching has a good level”.

According to Danishyar, there is excessive deprivation in the province, but deprivation of education should be the focus of the government and people's attention because the future depends on it.

He believed that other deprivations could be remedied, but low levels of literacy and knowledge were devastating for society.

The social activist asked the government and institutions to expand the programs of partner institutions in the education sector and fill existing gaps.

A student's story of how his life changed

Najibullah, a student at a local class in Giravi village of Miramur district, explained before the establishment of these classes, he and his peers were deprived of education.

“Our house is very far from school, we couldn't go there, we had to shepherd or do housework, but with the activation of local school in our village, we have been attending the cases every day with enthusiasm and interest for more than a year now”

According to officials, students who complete their primary education in these classes are then enrolled in neighboring formal schools to continue their education.

However, these classes have been established in the province to provide equal access to eligible and school dropout children, officials of RRSWO added.

Rajab Ali Azad, the head of education at Arso Institute, added:“The goal of the institute is to provide equal access to education for eligible and out-of-school children, so the slogan of education can be implemented for all children who do not have a school near them, so that they are not deprived of this fundamental and national right”.

Villages that are more than three kilometers away from a government school or where there are social or geographical barriers are identified, surveyed, and after reaching an understanding with the local people, local education classes are considered for them, Azad explained.

The conditions for enrolling students in the first grade are in accordance with the Education Bill, and students between the ages of seven and nine can enroll in these grades, according to Azad.

“If the number of eligible students is between 20 and 35 out-of-school children and the local people support and demand the establishment of a class, a class would be established for them, taking into account the provision of drinking water, determining a suitable location for the class, and appropriate sanitary conditions”.

Azad claimed that RRSWO has provided quality education to more than 8,000 school dropouts in the province.

Some residents consider creation of classes an important step in strengthening education system

Khan Jan, an elder in the Baghal-e-Kando area of Ashtarli district, added most children in their area were deprived of education due to the distance from the formal school.

“The distance from our area to the school is very long, and children could not go there. The people were not in a good economic situation to find teachers themselves and have their children taught in their village. The ARSO Foundation built a school for us, where the children are now studying, and we are relieved”.

All eligible students are now enrolled in classes and are studying.

Khanjan emphasized that the ARSO Foundation has made a great contribution to strengthening the education system by creating these classes.

He urged the government to make more extensive efforts in establishing schools and paying more attention to the education sector.

Meanwhile, head of quality assurance for the education department, said that about 106,028 students are studying in 435 government schools in the province. According to him, out of these schools, 225 have buildings and 210 do not have buildings.

hz/ma

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