Even though it has been over three months since the start of the country’s new school year, schools in the Pamir area of Badakhshan, which is known as the rooftop of the world, has not yet reopened for students.
Students in the district criticized the government for not opening schools and ask that it quickly send teachers and materials to this area.
“We ask the government to reopen schools so that we can be as literate as other people,” said Ibrahim, a student.
Some local students say that their schools have not been regularly open for them for more than two years, and that this school year they have been closed completely.
“Half of the year passed and we still do not have teacher, pen or booklets,” said Raziq, a student.
Meanwhile, due to a lack of female teachers in Pamir district of Badakhshan, girls have been left out of school.
“If a female teacher comes, we will allow our daughters to go to school. I have a daughter who is too eager to go to school,” said Hassan, a resident of the Pamirs.
Badakhshan’s education department acknowledged the lack of teachers and other facilities and said they are working to address these challenges.
“If the Pamir Department of Education is so negligent, we will guide them to address Pamir’s problems as soon as possible, and the schools should be reopened,” said Nader Naderi, press officer of the Badakhshan Department of Education.
There are now two secondary schools in the Little and Big Pamirs with 248 male students officially enrolled, including 74 girls, according to the Badakhshan Department.
Meanwhile, hundreds of female students above sixth grade who are fortunate to be able to attend school despite the closed schools in other areas of the country, said they are grateful to attend school and they urged the Islamic Emirate to provide educational opportunities for all girls above six grade.
In this report, a TOLOnews reporter visited one of the southern area’s girls’ schools that is still open to girls in grades six and up.
Despite the fact that hundreds of female students in the country have dropped out, these girls are still permitted to attend school and continue their education.
“I am a student of the 12th grade, our lessons are ongoing and we come to the class every day,” said Shukria, a student.
“We are very pleased to be studying, to graduate and to serve our homeland,” said Nazdana, a student in 10th grade.
While most girls’ schools above the sixth grade remain closed in most regions of the country, these female students asked the authorities to reopen schools for all girls.
“All schools should be opened in 34 provinces of Afghanistan, so that girls can study,” said Nazo, a student in 11th grade.
“I ask the Islamic Emirate to provide education opportunities for the rest of the girls and I say they should open those schools which are closed,” said Palwasha, a student in 10th grade.
“In order to have female doctors in the country or to have women activists in some other sectors, the education of girls is important,” said Aziza, a teacher.
Despite no concrete solution for the reopening of girls’ schools, the Islamic Emirate stresses that, given the situation, girls’ schools above the sixth grade will reopen soon.
But what these conditions are, and when female students will be able to attend school, is a question that has yet to be answered, and the Ministry of Education has not responded.
