Afghan enrolment claims fail to make grade; school numbers don't add up

[unhappycamper]

Afghan enrolment claims fail to make grade; school numbers don't add up
By: Steve Rennie, The Canadian Press
Posted: 02/10/2011 3:02 AM

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Schools in Kandahar that were built or renovated on the Canadian government's dime have far fewer students than official enrolment numbers suggest, a Canadian Press investigation has found.

Unaccompanied visits to the schools where work has been completed lay bare the stark contrast between what appears on paper and the reality on the ground.

The government of Kandahar's school registry lists many thousands more students than there actually are in the classrooms of Canadian-funded schools across the province.

The findings call into question the efficacy of one of the Conservative government's legacy projects in southern Afghanistan.

Building, expanding or renovating 50 schools in Kandahar province is one of three so-called "signature projects" the Conservatives announced in the spring of 2008 in hopes of providing an additional measure of benefit to Canada's mission in Afghanistan, which is slated to end combat operations in July.



unhappycamper comment: