Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

In Sharan, not a Single High School for Girls

In Sharan, not a Single  High School for Girls

SHARAN - Thousands of girls are deprived of high education in the capital of southeastern Paktika province due to the non-existence of high schools.
Marwa, a resident of Sharan, told Pajhwok Afghan News not a single high school for girls had been built in Paktika despite talk of development and reconstruction of the country.
She believed thousands of girls from the backward province would have made it to universities, had high schools for them been set up in the province over the past 16 years.
The girl said: “I studied 9th grade; my father agreed I should acquire higher education but there is no high school in the province for girls.”
Shazia, another inhabitant of Sharan, said millions of dollars had been invested in the education since Taliban’s ouster from power. But no high school had been built for girls in Paktika, she lamented.
She accused the education department of being irresponsible in promoting girls’ education. Students and residents want the government to construct at least one high school for girls in Sharan.
Noor Afghan Kharotai, human resources director at the education department, said 29 girl schools, including four high schools, existed in Sarobi, Khairkot, Orgun and Yousafkhelo districts.
Around 331,000 girls are enrolled there. Asked why there was no high school for girls in Sharan, he replied the area was largely rural and people never demanded the facility.
He said the issue had been shared with the ministry concerned and the school construction would be included in next year’s budget. “By next year, we will have a modern and well-equipped high school for girls in Sharan.”
But resident Mujahid complained that around 2,000 girls in the province were out of school. Officials just wanted to get projects and embezzle money, he alleged.
There are a total of 387 schools in Paktika, half of them without buildings -- a problem that exists in almost all provinces. (Pajhwok)