From Tents to Classrooms in Afghanistan

In Nazyan district, Afghanistan, 18 miles from Jalalabad city near the Pakistan border, the majestic Spin Ghar (White Mountains) Range is a silent guardian over a group of joyful girls walking to their newly built school in the early morning light. Despite the snow on the nearby mountains, the weather in the valley is warm. The school they’re heading to is Soroubi Girls’ School, which operates in two shifts, teaching girls in the mornings and boys in the afternoons.

The new schools are a sanctuary for students in Afghanistan

Among the students is Asya, a fifth grader full of passion and joy. She is eager to learn.

 “I love my new school," Asya says with a smile. "We used to sit under a tent or tree, but now we have classrooms, blackboards, washrooms and a playground." Sourobi school, with six classrooms and a teacher's office, is a sanctuary of learning for Asya and her friends.

High boundary walls provide a secure learning environment

With support from the Government of Japan, UNICEF, in partnership with UNDP, the United Nations Development Program, is constructing 165 schools across the East, South and Central regions of Afghanistan, benefiting more than 33,000 children — half of them girls. The schools are equipped with solar power systems to light the classrooms, and include separate latrine blocks and drilled water wells to provide students with safe water and hygienic handwashing spaces in their learning environment. High boundary walls mean the school is a safe haven for education.

Afghanistan’s education needs are high, with up to 7 million children out of school due to economic hardship and other constraints. Sixty percent of them are girls. At least half of all public schools countrywide do not have adequate classroom space, and 58 percent lack drinking water and handwashing stations. Less than half the country’s public schools have boundary walls — an important factor for girls’ attendance in particular. Enclosed schools are considered safe by parents, which improves girls’ attendance.

Teachers no longer have to send students home when it rains

Before the new school was built, students would learn in the open air, seated on the ground under a tent or beneath a tree. They faced heavy winds, storms and intense heat that constantly distracted them from learning. Moving into a real classroom was a dream come true for both students and teachers.

"A good environment boosts learning. Children can focus," said Rubna, a 25-year-old teacher at the school. "We're grateful for the classrooms! When it rained, we had to send students to their homes. Now, they have a safe place to read, to learn, and to play." 

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities improve learning outcomes

Shukria, another fifth grader, is washing her hands outside the latrine block. "Without school washrooms I was always distracted in class, worrying about where I could go when I needed to," she said with a shy smile. Each of the 165 schools now has four latrines for students and one for teachers, all equipped with washing facilities. The solar panels produce 7 kilowatts of electricity, which pumps water from the well to the reservoir and lights the classrooms.

The transformation of Soroubi Girls’ School, where over 900 students are enrolled, is the foundation of a supportive learning environment. Constructing 165 schools has improved not only access to education for thousands of children, but also their participation, and the quality of their learning. It gives students like Asya the opportunity to thrive and dream of a brighter future, in a protected and safe environment.

Learn more about UNICEF's work for children in Afghanistan.

Right now, the lives of the most vulnerable children hang in the balance as conflicts and crises jeopardize the care and protection that they deserve. Dependable, uninterrupted and effective foreign aid is critical to the well-being of millions of children. Please contact your members of Congress and urge them to support ongoing U.S. investments in foreign assistance.

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This story first appeared on unicef.org