April 1, soldiers of the Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT-10) and Advisor for Development Cooperation of the Lithuanian Special Mission (SM) Justina Jakavonytė paid a visit to the girls' school that was opened for school year on March 22 in the provincial capital Chaghcharan. Lithuanian peacekeepers handed over gifts from the children of Alytus Youth Centre - school materials, task books, pencils, pens, paint, etc.
Representatives of the PRT CIMIC Division and SM congratulated around 2600 pupils of the Sultan Razi School on the beginning of a new school year. PRT members have been conducting such visits recently to meet with school communities and deliver principal school materials for conducting lessons. On the basis of a priority list set by local Department of Education peacekeepers bring tents to the scantiest provincial schools to give children shelter from spring rain and summer sun during lessons.
In the beginning of March children of Alytus Youth Centre brought gifts collected for Afghan kids via the „Children Save Children" campaign to the Joint Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Initiative of the youth received back-up from ERGO Insurance Group, Danske Bank, „Kortas" Ltd., „Auksa" Ltd., Editorial Staff of „Alytaus naujienos", NDVF Territorial Unit of Dainava Military District (providing basis for the current PRT shift), the Great Duchess Birutė Motorised Infantry Battalion, Military Enrolment Centre of Kaunas of the Military Enrolment Administration Service, Danguolė and Gediminas Vegelevičiai, and children of Alytus Kindergarten „Pasaka".
Schools of Ghowr provide education for around 150 thousand children; only 150 of 600 schools are based in buildings, elsewhere lessons are conducted in open air or in tents donated by the international community.
Peacekeepers endeavour to maintain friendly relations with local inhabitants, especially with school communities, while assisting local authorities to ensure security and providing conditions to reconstruct the province devastated by continued military actions. Members implement their mission with regard to the fact that there are many places where lessons are held in especially poor conditions: the majority of schools do not have facilities, lack qualified teachers and school materials, a great percentage of schoolchildren even lack warm clothes.
Civilian and military personnel of the PRT (launched in 2005) maintain relations with the community of local schools, organise seminars to local teachers, arrange supply of such necessities as text books, stationery, desks, chairs, computer equipment, coordinate projects of constructions of new schools and youth-oriented objects, take part in communal festivals and events, etc.
Development of education sector is the responsibility area of the official Government of Afghanistan, namely, Ministry of Education in terms of state, and subordinate departments of education in terms of provinces. Soldiers and civilians working in the PRT maintain close and friendly relations with representatives of local administration. Meetings of various formats are held to elaborate on the possibilities of extending assistance in development of education sector. Military representatives of the PRT often participate in the gatherings on the topic of enhancing security at schools.
„With respect to security situation in contemporary Afghanistan, activity in education sector must be accompanied by local police and representatives of the National Security Department - we hold meetings and consultations on a steady basis to ensure secure environment for students and teachers, and permanently monitor the situation," Maj. Vaidas Šepkus sayd.
Afghan school year begins - usually in March - and ends - around the end of December - in an unusual time from a Lithuanian's perspective. The exact date of the beginning and the end differs from year to year with the beginning date being set by the Ministry of Education. School summer holiday lasts for around three months similarly to those in Lithuania.
Government of Lithuania provided funding for 19 schools to be built, a community education programme to be implemented in Ghowr, and for establishment of a public in Chaghcharan since 2006.
Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team of Ghowr based in Chaghcharan, provincial capital, is a joint military-civilian mission operating under the NATO's International Security Assistance Force. Lithuania took responsibility for the PRT of Ghowr province based in Chaghcharan in summer of 2005. The main objective of the PRT mission is to assist the Central Government of Afghanistan to extend its authority throughout the province, to ensure security and to help built environment favourable for provincial reconstruction.
PRT-10 currently providing security in Ghowr is based on the 1st Territorial Unit of Dainava Military District of the Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer Force. Along with around 150 civilians and military from Lithuania representatives of Denmark, Georgia, Japan, USA, Romania and Ukraine serve in the Lithuanian-led Chaghcharan Provincial Reconstruction Team.
PIO for PRT-10 1st Lt. Skomantas Povilionis
Pictures by 1st Lt. Inga Pranaitienė and 1st Lt. Andrius Januškevičius
