Paktia schools register 20,000 new enrolments of girls for this year

Paktia education officials said Tuesday that 20,000 girls have been enrolled in schools in Gardez city and districts for the new solar year, in addition to the 73,000 already in school in the province.

Officials said the number of girls in schools in the province has historically been low but that this is changing for the better.

However, some girls from the insecure Zurmat district have said there are no schools for girls in their area.

After months of school closures, due to the Coronavirus pandemic and winter, the new school year has now started in Paktia.

Students have welcomed the return to class as they say online classes were not of much help to them.

Head of Education for Paktia province, Kochai Zazai, also discussed the increase in enrolment figures of girls.

“In Paktia province we have 88 schools for girls, with 73,000 girls attending and 750 female teachers; and for the new solar educational year we plan to enroll 20,000 girls who have reached the legal school age in the center and in district schools.”

Girl students who have been sent to Gardez city, the provincial capital, from insecure Zurmat district, say that nothing has been done so far to provide education for girls in their district.

“In our district, girls can only learn up to elementary classes but not up to secondary classes,” said Bahar, a student.

“We hope that access for secondary and higher classes is also provided for girls in the districts,” said Negah, another student.

In addition to security threats, the lack of adequate facilities and a lack of female teachers are cited as factors that have limited access for girls to education in the district.