LASHKARGAH - Some officials and residents of southern Helmand province on Monday accused the education minister of having double-standards in the education system.
The accusation was made at a gathering organized by some civil society activists and provincial council members here.
A civil society group head, Sardar Mohammad Hamdard, said the education process in Helmand had fallen prey to Education Minister Asadullah Balkhi’s personal interests.
For instance, he said, “Over the past one year, the minister has issued more than 30 appointment letters for assistant posts alone in the Helmand education department.”
Hamdard accused the minister of discriminatory behavior towards Helmand, saying due such irregularities, a number of schools had been shut, education quality negatively affected and administrative affairs brought to a halt.
“The minister has been biased because he wants to pocket resources and render our children uneducated,” he said, and warned of staging protests if the irregularities continued.
Meanwhile, the security committee head at the provincial council, Bashir Ahmad Shakir, said the Helmand education department had been politicized and every circle wanted their own people to be given jobs.
Shakir said the disorder and interferences had resulted in closure of more than 200 schools in Helmand. “Continuation of the current situation means elimination of Helmand people.”
Helmand governor’s spokesman, Omar Zwak, told Pajhwok Afghan News the recent closure of schools had a bad impact on education process.
He said the governor would soon discuss the issue with the president and the education minister.
Attempts at seeking vomments from the Ministry of Education were unsuccessful. Currently 385 schools have been closed in Helmand including 153 schools shut due to insecurity.(Pajhwok)