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KABUL, Afghanistan – Qal-e-Bala village opened a new school where more than 1,300 Afghan children will soon attend and receive formal education in Herat province, Feb. 12.
The 16-classroom school is the largest of its kind in Karukh district, and with a staff of 25 female and 22 male teachers, 785 female and 558 male students will be educated there.
Many new students expressed hope the school will lead to a brighter future.
"I like to study and in the future I would like to become a doctor," said one student of the village of Qal-e-Bala, located 31 miles (50 kilometers) from Herat.
The Herat Education Department requested the school be built, and the Herat Provincial Reconstruction Team answered the request and built the school in only five months under the Praesidium Project using Commander's Emergency Response Program funds. The school is 10,764 square feet (1,000 square meters) and cost approximately $200,000.
“We hope to ensure a better future for these kids who really want to study. I taught for 40 years and until a few weeks ago, my lessons were performed in tents,” said Wakil Ahmad, a senior teacher of the village.
Ahmand thanked the provincial reconstruction team for building the school.
"I am very happy to be here," said Arvin Tahiri, head of Herat’s Department of Education. "When I was young [we had no] school, no books and no teachers.”
Tahiri is thankful that the children of today will be afforded more opportunities than he had.
Herat’s reconstruction team leadership expressed gratitude for being afforded the opportunity to help local children.
"This school is not only an architectural construction, it is our help to the Afghan people,” said Italian army Lt. Col. Mario Di Leva, Herat Provincial Reconstruction Team civilian and military cooperation director. “We hope they can live in a country with the same opportunity as other nations. It's just a first step, now it's up to the Afghan teachers to do their best."
| Date Taken: | 02.12.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 02.15.2011 06:03 |
| Story ID: | 65454 |
| Location: | KABUL, AF |
| Web Views: | 6 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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