The buildings of at least 100 schools in Khost province need reconstruction as they have been damaged or destroyed in previous conflicts.
One of the schools is located in Yaqubi district in Khost. The school was located near a former army outpost and had been damaged in a Taliban suicide car bomb attack in previous years.
“There was an outpost near the school. It was targeted by a car bomb attack. There were two buildings in the school, one new and one old. The new building was destroyed and the second was damaged,” the principal of Yaqubi School, Karamatullah, said.
Employees of the school said that thousands of students were enrolled at the school previously.
“We could not enroll more students because major parts of the school were destroyed and could not be used,” said Isa, a teacher.
Meanwhile, three tents have been installed outside the school where students hold their classes.
“Previously, there were conflicts and we could not go to school, but now we don’t have a building,” said Maryam, a student.
“We also lack books and we lack access to drinking water at the school,” said Ahmad, a student.
Khost has at least 500 schools, including 130 private and 370 public schools, of which 100 need reconstruction, according to the provincial directorate of education.
“The past two decades of war or natural disasters have damaged many schools that need reconstruction,” said Sayed Kabir Sangin, head of the publication office of the education directorate in Khost.
Figures by the directorate show that at least 200 schools in Khost have no surrounding walls.
