GHAZNI CITY (PAN): Thirty-four schools remain closed due to insecurity in different parts of southern Ghazni province, an official said on Monday. In an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News, Education Director Ehsanullah Nasher said 41 schools were closed across the province when he took charge. Since March 21, five schools had been reopened in Zankhan, Giru and Aab Band districts, but 34 others remained closed, he said. Two literacy centres also stay shut. Acting head of provincial council Abdul Jame also acknowledged the authorities’ failure to reopen the schools. “We should acknowledge that insecurity has deprived many students of education.” He urged the government to take effective measures to reopen the schools and thereby pave the way for educating children in remote areas of the province. Abdul Khaliq, a resident of Giru, said: “Across the district, you can’t find a single child who could reach 10th grade. It’s all because of the bad security situation.” A student from the Chahar Diwal area of Andar district, Ahmad Khalid, said he was reading in 9th class when his school was closed several years ago. Following the closure of the Sultan Shahabuddin High School, most of pupils have gone abroad in search of jobs, according to Khalid. Others are working in the province. Hundreds of youngsters like him would be denied the right to education if the schools were not reopened, remarked the student. Most of the 600 schools in Ghazni lack trained teachers, teaching tools and proper buildings. Last year, the Taliban kept closed for two months schools in Ghazni City, Andar and Deh Yak districts.