By Niamatullah Ahmadi
Education officials in north-eastern Badakhshan province on Monday said that nearly 400 teachers, in four districts, are drug addicts and continue to teach students.
Abdul Hai Entezami, head of the provincial education department, said they plan however to start discussions with these teachers soon.
"A survey which we conducted at Badakhshan border schools found there are 380 teachers who are addicts, including male and female teachers at schools, and they are currently teaching. In-fact this will create problems, because psychologically they are ill," Entezami said.
A member of the provincial council warned government that if these teachers are not dismissed "most of the students will become drug addicts," adding that most of the teachers, who are drug addicts, are in Zebak, Shaghnan, Ishkashem and Wakhan districts of the province.
Officials indicate the most common drug used among teachers is hashish.
"The addicts are not doing anything positive for the students, in real sense this exploits the future of the students. So government must recruit professional and healthy teachers," a member of the provincial council, Abdullah Naji Nazari said.
A number of provincial civil society activists have also expressed their concerns over the issues and said there will be negative consequences if the education department does not dismiss the teachers.
"Addicted teachers have been teaching the students for several years, during this period, they have contributed nothing positive to benefit the students. If government does not take action and dismiss them, students will remain illitetate and will become addicts too,"said Basir Wasiq, a member of civil society.
Students in the remote parts of the province frequently complain about the low quality of education materials available – many of whom have said in the past this has contributed to them not being able to qualifying for higher education.