Herat (PNA): Authorities say that education sector is moving ahead with tandem in the Herat Province and there are no visible hurdles to stop its progress.
Provincial Education Director Abdul Baseer Arween Tahiri says that “schools are functioning well in the center as well as in districts. Schools and education institutions are safe even in insecure areas where people extend their every possible cooperation to the education authorities.
He noted with satisfaction that currently 791 schools are functioning in 15 districts including the center in which a total of 85, 000 students get education. Half of them are girls’ students. During the current fiscal year, one hundred thousand fresh students are enrolled.
“Herat has a total of 237 high, 300 intermediate while the rest are primary schools, which are functional,” Tahiri added.
Mohammad Moeen Sabori, head of media center, department of education says that “council of Ulama (religious leaders) has helped divided classes being taught to students in Madrassas. He went on to say that Madrassas are also functional elsewhere in mosques where Ulama impart religious education in a traditional way.
Similarly, students of registered Madrassas are being awarded grades as per their established grades system. He said that Madrassas students can find jobs on basis of grades after graduation.
The total strength of registered Madrassas in Herat stands at eight while 1, 900 individuals manage with 32, 000 students including 5, 000 female get education.
In addition, 8, 000 male and female students get education in 15 private schools in Herat.  Similarly, the province has 12, 000 regular and 300 contract teachers that impart education to kids in Herat. 
 
Tahiri enumerates that there are one government run while ten privately run universities in the province. As many as 20, 000 students study at Al Gayas, Jami, Asia e Galib, Ansari, Hilal Afghan, Kwajah Abdullah Ansari, Fakhri Uloom and Eshraq higher private institutes.
 Private universities offer courses in Law, Political Science, Sharia, Computer Science, Medical, and Engineering.
Officials in Herat education department said that students from different provinces study in the government and private run universities of the province. He said around 300 female students earning degrees in various fields live in a separate hostel.
Herat University Head Maulvi Khudai Dad Saleh told Pajhwok Afghan News the Herat University has been rehabilitated by spending $5 million donated by businessmen locally.
He noted with satisfaction that 3, 500 female and 6, 000 male have been earning higher degrees from the Herat University. He said that the current fiscal year saw 1400 graduates with 900 of them female earned their degrees in Sharia faculty from the university.
 “Teachers of Herat University are now connected with libraries of several foreign countries’ universities including United States and Italy. Inter connection through the electronic libraries would go a long way to benefit the teachers as well as students in the long run.”
Problems and Developments
Heart Education Director says: “The entire province has good security for education activities. Schools face no threats here.” During the last few years, authorities built or repaired buildings of 427 schools while buildings for construction of 35 schools are in progress.
He said that the project are financially supported by Ministry of Education’s Development Funds, UNICEF, PRT and local businessmen of Herat Province, adding that 364 schools still have no buildings, forcing the students to study in tents, rented homes and under the open sky.
He said that a big problem being faced by the education sector is shortage of professional teachers.
Arbab Gul Agah, member of local council from Goryan district said that teachers who discharge duties in his areas schools have no certificates of high school.
Mohammad Moeen, Herat education department spokesman while acknowledging problems being faced by the education sector, promised reforms are being carried out to remove hurdles in education sector.
He said that some of the problems are tackled in the nearby districts while the problems being confronted in far-flung areas would be resolved gradually.
He said that education ratio in Herat Province is going higher, adding that more than 15 centers have been established in the province to ensure provision of technical and professional services to more than 900 teachers.
Another problem being faced by the education sector needs immediate attention of the relevant quarters, is the unavailability of education in mother language, said Ghulam Qadir Rahimi, head of independent commission of human rights.
Criticizing the relevant authorities, he said that kids of Pashtun belt are deprived to get education in mother language, adding that getting education in native language is the right of every child.
He said that authorities in the province turned a blind eye to resolve the issue of basic rights of children.
People:
Sayed Wali, resident of Herat city while expressing satisfaction regarding the current education progress, said that the current year two of his daughters have been graduated from Mahri Harawi High School with high grades. He said that both of his daughters are promoted to the engineering and law faculties of Herat University.
Abdul Ghani, a resident of Zerok, Sheendand district while vehemently criticizing the education department, said though the schools are opened and functioning, teachers neither follow discipline nor they are punctual in their attendance. He said that the quality of education is going deeper because of lack of interests by the authorities.
“I hope that department of education will conduct visits of the schools of Sheendand district and will act against the responsible. Few years back, the students of Sheendand district have greater enthusiasm to be promoted to government university of Herat but during the last couple of years even ten students cannot be able to pass the university test,” he added.
Sahar Gul, a resident of Adraskan district while talking to Pajhwok Afghan News complained that education in his locality faces problems, which need to be tackled.
“During the last five years, the education department has promised to build mobile schools but the pledge is yet to be implemented,” he said adding that more than 800 nomad families are living and moving together form place to place, and the authorities should workout a strategy to educate the kids of the nomads.
Mohayuddin Noori, Herat governor spokesperson said that he is in favour to work out plans to educate the kids of nomads, adding but he could not receive any application formally. He assured his all out cooperation to help promote the education sector.
Teachers and Students
Nilofar, a student of 11th class at Mahri Harwi High School in Herat told Pajhwok Afghan New that “we have professional teachers and proper education system but absence of a professional teacher for Pashto subject is a matter of concern.” She said that she does not have a Pashto teacher who is from Pashtun tribe nor she has degree of higher education in Pashto subject.
Sher Gul, a student of Chahar Mahal School said that students are being taught Dari language despite the fact that people of the area are originally Pashtun. “My nephew left the school because he couldn’t understand Dari language who was in 4th class,” she added.
Mohammad Arif Irfan, a resident of Maslakh area of Herat city also complained about the same problem, saying: “Teachers of Dari language; teaches Pashto subjects in Herat Province. When the student ask the meaning of a difficult tem then the teacher call another person on mobile to know the meaning of that Pashtu term.
Intellectuals
Dr. Payndah, a resident of Herat Province told Pajhwok Afghan New that some officials of Herat education department are involved in corruption and demonstrate immoral behavior. He demanded of the central authorities to bring changes in the administrative hierarchy of education department of Herat province without further delay.
Noor Mohammad Zareefi, member of provincial council acknowledged corruption in the education department, said that complains of people have been conveyed to high authorities. He criticized the Department of Education and Ministry of Education for providing asymmetric services of education.
Similarly Haji Sher Dil, community elder from Sheendand district said that some officials of the education department are involved in moral and administrative corruption. He said that he is the eye witness that an official of the education department had accepted bribes in his presence. Abdul Baseer Awren, director of Herat education department ruled out any corruption in the education department, and rejected all objections including administrative and moral corruption.