35 new school buildings in Helmand this year

LASHKARGAH (PAN not to disrupt educational process in Helmand, has said new buildings for 35 schools were being constructed at a cost of $6 million in the southern province this year.

Wardak, who arrived in Laskhargah, the provincial capital, told a gathering his ministry had set aside a special budget for school buildings and other education facilities for Helmand.

He said the proposed structures would increase the number of school buildings to 400 in the province, promising to recruit professional teachers against higher salaries.

The minister said they had fund for constructions, but lacked money to purchase land for them, asking  the municipality and other departments concerned to help acquire land for the new school buildings.

Of 337 schools in Helmand, around155 have been closed for security concerns. Wardak, who blamed the closure on lack of attention to the problem by the residents concerned, said his ministry had approved a total of 137 new schools for the province.  Helmand being one of the country’s largest provinces maintained a low literacy rate because most of the dwellers abstained from sending their children to schools, the minister said.

Governor Mohammad Naeem thanked Wardak for paying attention to education in his province, vowing to ensure transparent monitoring process during the construction.

myn/ma

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