In an unprecedented move, community leaders in Gurbaz district of Khost province have taken initiative to educate female population. Gul Ahmad, 50, says the families who refuse to enroll their daughter in school will be fined 200,000 afghanis. He says majority of families have warmly welcomed this initiative.
The move comes while majority of Afghan families in rural areas prefer boys to girls when it comes to educating them.
Gul Ahmad, who is a political science student at a private university in Khost, takes his two daughters, who are in 7 and 8 grades, to a school in Khost every morning.
Every day, many families take their daughters from Gurbaz to schools in Khost city.
“We have to take a long distance to Khost to accompany our daughters to school. This is a reason for many people to sign the agreement and build a school building in Gurbaz,” he says. “Those who do not allow their daughters go to school will be fined 200,000 afghanis.”
People of this province are very eager to get educated, says Naseer Ahmad Roshan, head of education department in Khost province. “People from different areas are ready to donate one or two acres of land for school buildings,” he says.
According to him, there are 100,000 female students in the province.
Gul Ahmad calls on the Ministry of Education to appoint female teachers in girls’ schools in Gurbaz. People will not resist against girls’ education if the government appoints more female teachers in girls’ schools, he said.
The initiative is welcomed by locals in Shamal district of the province too. Following the initiative by Gurbaz community leaders, resident of Shamal district have also imposed a cash penalty on families hesitating to send their children to school. Those parents who refuse to enroll their sons in school will be fined 100,000 afghanis.
The 29-year-old Ahmadullah, who is a law student at a private university, has launched awareness campaign on education in the province.
The eastern province of Khost, which shares the border with Pakistan, is insecure and Taliban are controlling many districts of the province where girls’ schools are shut.
