Dozens Of Schools Remain Incomplete In Khost

KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): About 70 school buildings, work on launched in the previous government under the National Citizen Charter Programme, remains incomplete in southeastern Khost province.

Teachers and students are now urging the officials concerned to complete these buildings to resolve problems they face.

These schools, situated in various parts of the province, are reportedly 80 to 85 percent complete, but the remaining work has yet to be finished.

A teacher at Gul Younas Girls' Primary School in the Motakhel area of Sabari Yaqubi district said they had been teaching students in an unsuitable building for the past five years- one that lacks doors, windows, desks and chairs.

“Our voice reaches no one, our school has nothing- no windows, no plaster, no boundary wall, no well and no toilets. We have levelled the classrooms ourselves just to provide a sitting area for the students,” Noor Shahbaz Khan told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Another teacher, Mira Jan, warned that if the remaining construction work was not completed on time, the 80 percent work already done could be wasted.

“This building has no doors or windows. We are facing many difficulties. Some girl students want to come to the school, but they don't because if the school had doors and windows, they would feel safer. The building is in a poor condition,” he added.

Gul Younas Girls' School is not the only one facing such challenges. A school in Kuchakano area of Zazi Maidan district also suffers from the same fate.

Currently, students at that school study under the shade of trees, but when it rains or is windy, classes are cancelled and the children return home.

One student, Ikramullah told Pajhwok:“We want our school building to be completed. When it rains, children cannot attend lessons and the heat also causes problems.”

Another student, Naveedullah, said studying under trees was not effective.

He urged the caretaker government to complete the half-finished school building so they could learn properly and be protected from rain and heat.

Similarly, a number of Khost residents also asked government officials – especially the Ministry of Education – to urgently restart construction work on all schools across the province where the work was left incomplete.

Nasib, a local resident, said:“There are many schools in Khost that are incomplete. Some need painting, others need windows or other parts. If all these issues are addressed, students will have a comfortable environment to study.”

Meanwhile, Education Department also acknowledged that construction work of about 70 schools, initiated during the previous government, has not been completed and the buildings have not yet been handed over to them.

Deputy Education Director Khairo Gul Khairkhwa told Pajhwok:“During the republic era, around 70 schools were planned under the Iqra programme within the Citizen Charter framework. About 70 to 80 percent of the construction work was completed.”

He added that the matter had been brought to the attention of the Islamic Emirate's leadership and he hoped they would make a decision on the issue soon.

Calls for the completion of these unfinished school buildings come at a time when dozens of other schools in Khost still lack any shelters, forcing students to study under the open sky.

According to the Khost Education Department, out of 372 public schools in the province, 119 still have no buildings. Efforts are under way to allocate funds for their construction.

The department says currently around 300,000 students are enrolled in schools across Khost province.

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