SHIBERGHAN (PAN): The vital Jawzjan education sector faces multiple challenges such as absence of school buildings, lack of efficient and professional teachers and relevant stationeries. 
However, education sector has gained some impetus in some parts of the province as compared to the past but much more is needed to develop the sector.
Despite precarious security situation in Darzab and Qushtepah districts, male and female schools are opened and functioning normally.
Abdul Hai yashin, head of Jawzjan Education Department said as many as 250 schools were functioning in the past but now their number had reached 384 schools.
According to him, among those functioning 111 high, 116 intermediate and the remaining are primary schools. As many as 188,000 male with 73,000 of them are girls’ students get education in those schools who are being taught by 4,700 teachers.
Yashin told Pajhwok Afghan News the province had two private schools where 2,000 students had been enrolled.
According to director education department, a teacher training institute, nine extensions, one Dar-ul-Ulum, 15 Madrassa, five Dar-ul-Hifz and five vocational institutions and schools are also functioning in the province.
He went on to say around 1,000 students were getting education in religious schools, 1,200 students including 150 females in vocational centers, 1,700 students including 60% women were busy getting education in teacher training institutes.
One state-run university along with the faculties of Law, Economics, Civil Engineering, Education, Chemical Technology, Social sciences and Geology is functioning in the province with a total of 4,500 students among them 42% females are enrolled, he added.
He said there were 110 literacy courses with 2,290 male and female students’ enrollment in the province.
According to him, these courses were financially supported by the UNISCO and UNISEF in Shiberghan city and 10 other districts. Those who were unable to continue their education due to continued wars or other problems were being taught host of courses.
Amir Ali Shir Nawaye education center is also functioning in the province, which offers subjects in Law, Economics, Computer Science, Education and Engineering Faculties with the enrollment of 700 students and 50 teachers.
Problems and Progresses:
Provincial education authorities say no school is closed but Jawzjan faces lack of school buildings and professional teachers in some districts.
“People have realized the importance of education and Knowledge aws compared to the past. The parents now send their kids to schools and cooperate with the education department in reforms,” he noted.
According to him, rebels do not interfere in education affairs and influential people, elders and residents of remote areas have started cooperation with the education department. He said had the rebels done destructive attempts in order to stop education activities tens of schools would have been closed.
As many as 190 schools have lack of buildings where students study either in rented houses or tents or under the open sky, he added.
He said a large number of schools had already been constructed in the areas with 40 more schools would be built in the province during the coming years.
Expressing hope about resolution of problems in coming years, he pointed out the problem of textbooks deficiency had already been resolved and the transportation of books to remote areas were in progress.
Ibadullah Ibad, head of Jawzjan University said students used to study in a military building in the past but now they had an independent university where as many as 4,500 male and female students were getting education by 148 teachers with 40% of them were females.
The chairmen of the Jawzjan University said nearly 20 teachers had participated in a training program which lasted one month and they had learnt new teaching methods.
People:
Mohammadullah, a resident of Mahmood Tarzi Project in Shiberghan whose two daughters studying at Gauher Shad Begum School said teaching method in schools had improved considerably.
The newly built schools in Shiberghan had provided with all education facilities and they could use the facilities for their practical and theoretical lessons, he remarked.
He said availability of lesson plans, laboratories, libraries and computer rooms were offering good facilities for students.
Some of the schools in villages had lacked professional teachers and efforts were on to provide them with teacher training.
Haji Dad Mohammad, a resident of Darzab district and carpenter by profession said prayers’ leader teaches physics and chemistry in some schools of the district. “If education department doesn’t consider the problem of students they will be deprived of physics and chemistry subjects because it is very difficult for a prayer leader to teach the science subjects,” he added.
But Padshah Mir, a resident of Mangjic district expressed optimism by saying education had improved following hard work by the education department.
He said he had lived in Mangjick district. The school of the district lacked classrooms but in spite of the problem the efforts of teachers were laudable because they teach their children.
“Our people are very much happy as our kids are going to schools and they became familiar with letters and words,” he said.
Malalai, a resident of Shiberghan city said her daughter was going to school but she was not capable to write her name even, however, she was wondering whether the school was not functioning or her daughter was weak in learning.
Teachers and Students:
Mohammad Khalil, a student of 12th class at Tonka High school in Shiberghan city said his school did not have enough capacity for all students. He demanded the concerned quarters to take measure to resolve the problem without further delay.
But Zulallah, an 11th class student of Janral Hakim Qahraman High school said the condition of school had improved as compared to the past.
“Professional teachers have been employed and facilities such as computer room, library and laboratories have been provided to the students in schools, he said. Teachers said they had their focus to educate the children for a better tomorrow.
Nasima, a teacher of General Hakim High School said the method of teaching was good in the school and they had benefited greatly from teachers’ capacity building program.
“Failure of a student means that the teacher hasn’t been able to teach the student properly. We try our best to teach the students in a proper way,” she added.
Mohammad Nasir, a teacher of Hassan Tabin High School he did not think the education sector was facing any serious problem through the provincial schools.
Security has improved and people have realized the importance of education and started sending their kids to schools.
He said the education department had been making several efforts every year to build the capacity of teachers through conducting workshops and seminars.
Intellectuals of the area:
Engineer Aminullah, an employee at the Rural Rehabilitation and Development Department said it was indeed not favorable to put all responsibilities on the shoulder of education, adding that the parents should share the responsibilities of educating their kids.
He said problems could not be solved single handedly but they required bilateral cooperation and understanding between the education officials and people.
“If the people do not help the education department then the education tend to suffer,” he remarked.
Maulvi Wali Mohammad Shibani, a religious scholar said learning of knowledge was obligatory on men and women and parents and education officials should make efforts jointly to promote education in the province.
“Girls and boys are seen out of schools in the city talking on phone, listening to music on their mobiles or talking with individuals about TV series and stories,” he said, urging the education department to introduce strict rules for students inside educational institutions.
Mohammad Alim Rahmanyar, head of press office of education department said education regulations were being implemented equally in all schools and there was not any problem in this regard.
He pointed out as many as 40 schools would be built in next two years and the problem of inadequate classrooms in some schools would also be resolved on priority basis.
He assured the issue of lack of professional teachers in remote districts would be resolved soon by adopting some measures including announcement of some benefits for employment of experienced teachers in the far-flung districts.