KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Oct. 20, 2016) - Feeling nervous on the first day of school can be normal for most students around the world. But for the students at Sayed Pacha School in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, the nervousness is masked behind smiles and cheers, and goes a little further than first day jitters.
The Sayed Pacha School was part of a high-profile Taliban attack in December 2015. Teachers, students, and local natives were either injured, or killed during the attack.
Although this tragic event took place just 10 months ago, today more than 800 students, teachers, and coalition forces with their Afghan partners participated in a ceremony to remember those affected by the attack. This day marks a new beginning for the future of this Afghan community, starting with the re-opening of the Sayed Pacha School.
The 36th Infantry Division, Army National Guard from Austin, Texas., members of the Combat Joint Engineers, the Australian Army, the Afghan National Army 205th Corps, and Afghan provincial leaders came together to ensure the school was rebuilt and more secure for students and teachers.
"The children are the future of Afghanistan," said 1st Lt. Jason Patterson, project officer, Combat Joint Engineers, 36th Inf. Div., from Boyd, Texas. "We know without an education they are at a disadvantage. The more children we can get educated at this school, the better off Afghanistan is going to be."
The school has more than 20 teachers to provide the curriculum and host grades first through twelfth. Sixty, percent of the student population is female.
Patterson said Australia and America worked together every day for nine months to bring this project to fruition.
"I was here December 12, 2012 to July 2013 and I used to see all the kids go to and come from school," Patterson said. "When I came back this year and found it had been attacked, I was amazed and heartbroken that the children weren't able to go to school."
Australian forces provided planning, project management, and support of the construction effort of the school.
"Working with American NATO partners is a great feeling, it is what we train for," said Maj. Matteo Pesce, Combat Joint Engineer, Australian Army. "Coming out here and working with my counter-parts has really demonstrated that it is a good mission, it is an important mission and that working together we can achieve it."
Once again, the children of Kandahar Province have an opportunity to look forward to school, to gain an education, and with hope, they will help build a better tomorrow for Afghanistan.
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