30 Closed Schools Reopened in Kandahar This Academic Year

The education authorities in Kandahar province have been able to reopen 30 of 153 closed schools this academic year.
These schools had been closed for long years due to insecurity and other reasons in several districts and parts of Kandahar city.
Eng. Abdul Qader Piwaston, head of the Kandahar education department, told a press conference that it had been decided to reopen 48 of the 158 closed schools in the province this academic year.
However, so far 30 of the schools have been reopened and 18 others were in the process of being reactivated, the official said.
He said discussions with the Education Ministry about closed schools were in place and hoped all closed school in the province would be reopened.
Piwaston cited the lack of teachers, school buildings and books as main problems behind the closure.
There are a total of 4,800 teachers in Kandahar where at least 3200 teachers are needed. The education director suggested the appointment of volunteer teachers to overcome the teachers’ shortage.
He also gave information about enrollment of new students this academic year, saying the number of students had doubled compared to last year.
He added some 50,000 students were enrolled in schools this year, including 15,000 girls. But in the same breath, he complained about problems crippling girls’ education in Kandahar.