Residents of Shajoy district in Zabul province have built school buildings for nine schools over the past two years using their own financial resources.
A total of three million Afghanis has been spent on the projects, providing 15,000 students with a safer learning environment.
Habib Rahman Shahid, Head of Education for Shajoy district, said: “Local people have provided significant support in expanding education. Over the past two years, we have been able to build mud-brick school buildings for nine schools in Shajoy district at a cost of three million Afghanis. Residents have also helped provide clean drinking water and electricity, and they are ready to offer further support if needed.”
Abdul Samad Hemat, a resident of Shajoy, said: “We have a local council that brought people together and explained the importance of education. After that, the community pledged its support, and we built this school alone with an investment of 500,000 Afghanis.”
Students, meanwhile, are calling for additional facilities to further improve the quality of education.
Student Abdul Rahman said: “We are happy that we now have protection from the sun, but more attention should also be given to providing textbooks, laboratories and toilets in the school building.”
Another student, Nasibullah, said: “Our need for a safe learning environment has been met, but officials should pay greater attention to Shajoy district.”
There are currently 160 active schools in Zabul province, 60 of which do not have school buildings.
Around 85,000 students are currently enrolled in schools across the province.
