From tents to classrooms

In Nazyan district, 30 kilometers from Jalalabad city near the Pakistan border, the majestic Spinghar (White Mountain) 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.

Among the students is Asya, a fifth-grade student 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, featuring six classrooms and a teacher's office, is a sanctuary of learning for Asya and her friends.

Thanks to the Government of Japan, UNICEF, in partnership with UNDP, 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 ablution spaces in their learning environment. High boundary walls mean the school is a safe haven for education.

Afghanistan’s education needs are high, with 6 to 7 million children out of school[1] due to economic hardship and other constraints. 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.

[1] Data from Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), 2022-2023 | UNICEF Afghanistan 

Previously, students would learn in the open air, sat on the ground or under a tree. They faced heavy winds, storms and intense heat that constantly distracted them from learning. Moving into a real classroom was a long-held dream for both students and teachers.

"A good environment boosts learning. Children can focus," said Rubna, a 25-year-old teacher at Soroubi Girls’ 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." 

Shukria, another fifth-grade student, 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.