8 years on, Paktika school buildings yet to be constructed

SHARAN (Pajhwok): Construction work on some school buildings in southeastern Paktika province could not be completed in the past eight years for unknown reasons, an official said on Tuesday.

Mohammad Karim Atal, deputy head of the education department, confirmed the construction of eight school buildings remained uncompleted over the past eight years, blaming the officials concerned responsible for the delay.

Based on contracts, the school buildings should have been completed between 2007 and 2011. “Education officials are responsible for the delay because they did not follow the projects,” he said.

Atal added the issue had been discussed with top officials and the construction process would resume soon. As many as 39 schools of 347 are closed due to insecurity and more than 60 percent of them in the restive province are without buildings.

Mohammad Karim, a 12^th class student at Ali Baba High School, said construction work on the building was suspended over the past four years.

“The contract for the construction of our school building was signed five years ago, but the building remained half-completed by unknown reasons,” he said.

He said the high school was situated five kilometres from the education department, but officials did not pay attention to it.

Barat Khan, resident of Yousufkhel, said work on the building for Fatim Al Zahra High School also remained unfinished.

“It is a girls’ high school; the construction work on it was launched three years ago, but the building is yet to be made ready.”

Sarwan, a civil society activist, told Pajhwok Afghan News, construction work on 20 schools was suspended in Sharan, the provincial capital, and Yousufkhel, Janikhel, Wazi Khwa, Orgun and Zerok districts.

Most of contractors were foreigners who did not track the construction projects so far, he said, adding their absence was also one of the reasons the construction process had been delayed.

nh/mud