Afghanistan ambassador to India thanks MEA for continuing education of Afghan refugees

Afghanistan’s Ambassador to India, Farid Mamundzay on Saturday thanked the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) India for providing 'much-needed assistance to the only Afghan school' in Delhi. According to the ambassador, there are 400 students in the Syed Jamaluddin Afghan School in Delhi's Bhogal who are receiving 'gift beyond all measures from the Government and people of India'. Reportedly, the school was facing uncertainty with a shortage of funds for Afghan refugees.

'Thank you India' captioned Farid Mamundzay to pictures of girl students attending classes in the school. 

"The continuity of this school will surely help build the foundations upon which many Afghan youth will shape a better future for themselves and Afghanistan," added Afghanistan’s Ambassador to India. 

Girls' schools in Afghanistan reopen after months of closure

Last month, in Afghanistan's Ghor province, girls' schools were allowed to reopen after extensive efforts were made by the Ferozkoh council. Female students from classes 7 to 12 were allowed to attend their schools in the capital of the western province, Ferozkoh after months of denial. Head of the council, Sultan Ahmad was quoted saying, 'We reached an agreement that the high schools for girls in the capital and all districts of Ghor should be reopened'. 

However, this was limited to Ghor, while girls in Kandahar province had already found alternatives to education as siblings had started a painting and drawing centre in one of the rooms in their home amid schools shut down. Another female student, Mariam of 12th grade, had expressed her concern about not being able to complete her secondary education, telling an Afghan news organisation, ANI reported, 'It has been over two months that we have been deprived of education, and I feel that all the girls who have stopped going to school feel the same way.'

UNDP warns of Taliban's ban on working women

In a recent update, the UNDP report had revealed that the Taliban’s move to stop women from working could cost the country’s economy nearly $1 billion. In its socio-economic report, the United Nations Development Programme recently informed that Afghanistan’s nominal GDP is likely to contract by 20% within a year, from $20 billion in 2020 to $16 billion. The report also warned that this decline may reach 30% in the following years if urgent corrective action is not taken. 

Image: Twitter@FMamundzay