Media Room: Media Releases

Australian’S CHALK ONE UP FOR EDUCATION IN Tarin Kowt

The Governor of Oruzgan province, Assadullah Hamdam has thanked Australian Army engineers for their efforts in refurbishing the Tarin Kowt Boy’s School.

Governor Hamdam said that education was important for the future of his country and its people.

“It’s important that people get an education, so by education we know the difference between good and bad. It’s very important for Oruzgan that our young men get an education and that they work for this province together,” said Governor Hamdam.

On a recent inspection of work sites, Australian Army engineers working as part of the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF-2) showed their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Connolly, the Oruzgan Governor and the Tarin Kowt Mayor, Maulawi Obaidullah the progress of the Boy’s School, the Tarin Kowt Waste Management Facility, and Kowtwal Crossing.

The original school has been refurbished and a new building containing 21 additional classrooms has been built. The development also includes complete site services, new ablutions, a generator, septic system and a water tower.

Works on the waste management facility are almost half way through, while the crossing is in the final stages of construction.

“These projects contribute to an extremely important line of operations within MRTF-2’s holistic approach to counter insurgency,” said Lieutenant Colonel Connolly.

Oruzgan Director of Education, Malem Rahmattulah Khan, stressed the importance of such facilities.

“Education is like the eyes of the human, if a man does not have eyes then he doesn’t know where he’s going. So by this school their eyes will be open, we concur with this, however this is not enough, we want more schools like this so that our society can receive a good education,” he said.

“Today was a great opportunity to put the local government officials in the position where they are being requested to provide development. We will assist them with the delivery but the process needs to begin with them," said Captain Brad Willis, an Army engineer.

“The education sector within Tarin Kowt has received a major boost since the first Reconstruction Task Force arrived in 2006 and MRTF-2 is now preparing to re-develop the Tarin Kowt Girl’s School,” said Captain Willis.

“It is now up to the Provincial Government to continue training teachers to fill the schools and maintain the facilities to develop a prosperous future for the youth of Oruzgan,” he said.

Please note Defence Media has a new phone number: 02 6127 1999.

The existing number will be automatically diverted to the new number for three months.  The existing after-hours duty mobile 0408 498 664 will remain.

Media note: Imagery is available at:
http://www.defence.gov.au/opEx/global/opslipper/images/gallery/2009/0824a/index.htm

Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664