NILI - With almost 76 percent of schools across Daikundi province having proper buildings, more than 100,000 students are still studying under tents, officials said on Friday. A total of 334 schools are operating in the province, Director of Education Sardar Ali Jafri told Pajhwok Afghan News. As many as 118,104 students are taught under trees, in mosques and rented houses.

Nazar Panahi, the director of planning at the education department, acknowledged many schools had no buildings and faced problems, including non-availability of clean drinking water.

As a result, students do not have access to a healthy learning environment, he said, urging donors to help the education department tackle the problems.

Students and teachers also complained of the space problem. "To us, the biggest issue is a lack of school buildings," said Khaliq Nazar, a teacher at the Muhammadia School in Sharistan district.

A student of the school, Yasin, said: "A high traffic noise and dust don't allow us to focus on our lessons."

Across the central province, 155,400 students, 40 pc of them girls, are being taught by 2,909 male and female teachers.