An outdoor education

Open air schooling is the only choice for Afghan children, whose schools have been closed as a result of swine flu or destroyed by bombs. Khost, Afghanistan. 12/11/2009.

This is the time of year for the winter holidays for schools in south east Afghanistan, which will last for up to three weeks. Last week Afghan officials closed all schools due to the fear of swine flu spreading. The first fatality was recorded in the country; the victim is understood to be a soldier from the ISAF forces.

Currently Afghan school children will stay at home until the end of November. Officials in Khost say that the school buildings in the city centre are mainly bombed out ruins so most schools have to educate their pupils out in the open air.

Despite all they have experienced, growing up in a war-torn country, the children of Afghanistan enjoy going to school and the country understands the need to build more schools and to develop the education system especially for girls who in between 1994-2001 were banned from attending school. Ordinary Afghans are trying to open the doors to girls being educated rather than closing them in accordance with Taliban ideology.

Some believe that the government of Afghanistan is focusing too much on political issues and defence and less on education.