Improving the quality of education at Muaz-bin-Jabal secondary school
Founded in 2008, the Muaz-Bin-Jabal secondary school is currently attended by 450 students. The school is located in the Paghman region in the mountains of Kabul province, where the majority of the population lives from agriculture. They are therefore particularly affected by the consequences of climate change, such as crop failures, increasing famine and economic losses. Since the Taliban came to power, their living conditions have deteriorated even further and child labor has increased.
Improving the learning conditions at the secondary school should help to create better future conditions and employment opportunities other than agriculture for the students.
At the Muaz-Bin-Jabal School, eight new classrooms, 10 latrines and a hand-washing facility are being built and equipped in collaboration with our local partner organization OHW. To promote the sustainable development of the school, additional training and workshops are offered to the school community to expand the range of specialist lessons and raise awareness of hygiene and health issues.
To tackle climate injustice and social challenges, we have teamed up with Tomorrow Bank and were able to be part of their Rounding Up feature. Together, thanks to your donations, we have already been able to secure a large part of the project’s needs.
INITIAL SITUATION
The secondary school is located in Paghman, a region in the mountains in Kabul province. While the region is an excursion destination for the wealthy elite from the capital, the vast majority of the local population live from agriculture as simple farmers. The people are suffering particularly from climate-related crop failures, the associated economic losses and the hunger crisis, which has worsened dramatically since the Taliban came to power in 2021 and also due to the cold winter. If the small harvests are even sufficient for sale beyond their own needs, their purchasing power has collapsed to such an extent that they no longer have any buyers for their products. Child labor to support the family situation is part of everyday life here.
LACK OF LEARNING SUCCESS DUE TO EXHAUSTED CAPACITIES
Founded in 2008, the secondary school comprises grades 1 to 9. Ten teachers currently teach 450 students, including 190 girls and 260 boys. 90 additional girls from grades 7 to 9 are currently unable to attend classes due to restrictions imposed by the Taliban.
The school is housed in rented residential buildings that are not intended for educational purposes. Lessons already take place in two shifts and yet seven classes have to be taught outdoors due to a lack of space – even in extreme heat in summer and temperatures of up to minus 30 degrees in winter. The lack of space, the high noise level and the climatic conditions severely restrict the students’ concentration and ability to absorb information. This results in poor basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics, for example.
SOLUTIONS
Together with our local partner organization OHW, the Muaz-Bin-Jabal School is building a new barrier-free school building with eight new classrooms and equipped with the necessary furniture to create more space for the students. In addition, the site will a school garden and a playground for the pupils. In order to improve hygiene standards at the school, it is also receiving new, immaculate sanitary facilities – 10 new latrines and a hand-washing facility.
These infrastructural measures are accompanied by workshops on WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) for pupils and teachers to deepen their understanding of hygiene and health prevention. Teachers are also receiving further training to expand their technical and pedagogical knowledge and thus improve the quality of teaching.
In order to promote sustainable school structures, the School Development Council is to be strengthened by introducing regular meetings and electing members and representatives of the student body. In this context, workshops and seminars will be organized for the council, administrative staff and school management to support them in developing a sustainable school development plan and taking care of school issues in an independent and structured manner.
THE LOCAL PARTNER - OHW
OHW (Organization for Human Welfare) was founded in 2007 with the aim of providing humanitarian aid and promoting development cooperation for people in need in Afghanistan. The organization employs over 400 people, 120 of whom are women. Following the principle “by women for women”, they set a good example for the local communities. OHW can draw on successful and extensive project implementations, a strong network and local support to ensure feasibility in the fragile context of Afghanistan. We have also already worked successfully with them as part of the earthquake emergency aid reconstruction project in Herat.
WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED SO FAR
Official project launch
It is currently still winter break in Afghanistan due to the cold temperatures. This means that construction work cannot start yet, but our local partner organization is already starting the administrative preparations for the project.
Further educational projects
Learn more
Learn more
