School building shortage challenges education

FARYAB (TOLOnews): Hafizullah Motasim Billah, the head of Faryab’s education department, stated during a foundation-laying ceremony for a school in Chehel Gazi district that 174 schools across Faryab province lack standard buildings.
Motasim Billah referred to the absence of standard buildings as a serious challenge for the education sector in this province. According to him, thousands of students are currently studying in open spaces or in rented houses.
The head of Faryab’s education department said at the event: “Out of the land given to education, six schools have been constructed, and in this academic year, 17 more schools will be built on these lands.”
Meanwhile, the foundation stone of a school was laid in Chehel Gazi district at a cost of about three million Afghanis by a humanitarian foundation. The official of this foundation said that 68 girls’ and boys’ schools will be built in 34 provinces of the country by this foundation.
Ebrahim, the head of a charity foundation, said: “We plan to establish two schools in each province. We will continue this process because the cost of these schools comes from our own personal funds, which the Qais Argandewal Foundation pays from its own budget.”
A number of residents of Chehel Gazi district are asking officials to construct standard buildings for all the schools in this district.
Hamidullah, a resident of Faryab, requested the officials: “The construction of this school is a good facility for teachers and students, and it will also encourage people, and moreover, it allows students to study calmly.”
Sayed Faizullah, another resident of Faryab province, said: “We are very happy about the construction of this school building because now our children can study in peace.”
Previously, residents of remote districts of Faryab province had complained about their children’s lack of access to education. They had asked local, central authorities, and humanitarian agencies to establish schools in their areas.