PAN, June 9, 2010
Lack of text books a challenge in Baghlan schools
"Despite the passing of three months of the new academic year, my brothers and I still have no books to study," said another student in 11th grade
By Habib Rahman Sherzai
Students at schools in northern Baghlan province have accused education officials of selling their text books to shops in the bazaar.
Although the academic year started three months ago, the students say they have not received their books from the Ministry of Education.
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About a third of the school books ordered for 2008 were never delivered to the provinces, the AP learned in interviews with officials from all 34 provinces and examinations of Education Ministry records and contract documents.
Stationary and book store owners said officials had sold them the new textbooks.
Palwasha, a ninth-grade student at Hawa High School, said she had asked her headmaster and teachers for books, but was told there were none available. She said she had to go to the bazaar to buy the books she needed.
"Despite the passing of three months of the new academic year, my brothers and I still have no books to study," said another student in 11th grade.
Ajmal, a student at Maihan High School, said the newly published books were being sold by education officials to the market. He said he could not afford to buy books from the bazaar.
A stationary store owner Hamid said that education officials had brought dozens of new books to the bazaar to sell to shops such as his.
However, he did not name the officials. The officials also sold other stationary items provided to schools by aid organisations, he added.
The accusations were denied by the education department in the province, however, the head of the department, Syed Mansoori, confirmed there was a lack of text books at schools. He said the new books were only published for primary classes, which could not be found at the market.
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