Classroom
CONSTRUCTION
The Problem : Without Enough Classrooms , Children Miss Out on Schooling
In Afghanistan , Pakistan , and Tajikistan , the demand for education is far outpacing the construction of new classrooms . What ’ s more , many schools built decades ago were never finished or repaired . This means students study in unsafe conditions , in overcrowded classrooms , brave the elements to study outside , or never make it to school at all .
In 2017 Pakistan became the world ’ s sixth most populous country , and the population has grown by nearly 60 percent since 1998 . Not only are more parents enrolling their children in school , but students want to continue learning into secondary and high school . To accommodate the demand , multiple classes are held in the same room , school days are split into morning and afternoon sessions with only a half-day for learning , and students are forced to study outside with no shelter .
In Tajikistan , many schools were built during the Soviet era and left unfinished when the Soviet Union collapsed . As one of the poorest countries in Central Asia , these buildings have continued to deteriorate . Sometimes those schools never had a proper roof , other times the floor was left unfinished . Children cannot go to school year round because it ’ s too cold or damp in the buildings and the classrooms are crumbling around them . When they do go to school , many get sick from mold and poor ventilation .
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