![Children sit in a classroom at Shahid Niamatullah Primary School in Panjwayi district, formerly occupied by ISAF and the Afghan National Police.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YNJBPMALPJXTWJNLXUGVAOJ5O4.jpg?smart=true&auth=19a672ff51875b80c62bdcfb1db1b79e885c9701cfa1d3d56fb74139958bc580&width=400&height=225)
![Rahmatullah, 10, poses in a classroom at Shahid Niamatullah Primary School in Panjwayi district, formerly occupied by ISAF and the Afghan National Police. Having lost his father to the war, he says he continues to hear the sounds of bullets at night. All photos by Stefanie Glinski](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/COI5IYODDOL2GNEUVSEJZR7U7A.jpg?smart=true&auth=dde8872104b1eb7ac6405aecfb30d6046bc5616ba70778b0cc5b6cc1cfd7239e&width=400&height=225)
![Students sit in their classroom at Assad Suri Primary School in Kandahar's Zhari District. Many of the buildings have been destroyed in airstrikes and by blasts, leaving classrooms exposed and bullet riddled. Part of the school continues to be occupied by the local police.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YCDSA5RIFKQMJ2GZNWNVVZL4TM.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff5cfecff74f2d380eff75daf1cbdcd511c93e8820986e4b8cb68afed70f4dc6&width=400&height=225)
![Aisha, 9, (L) sits with her friend Rapia, 10, at Assad Suri Primary School. The girls are one of the few attending the school, hoping to become teachers themselves one day to teach other girls.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ICFJFC22N5K3SY3GJ2CZI6UEHQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=e66e25c001d6774767c9628f46710d085f03921505632a926ad9fb46b3c7b507&width=400&height=225)
![Students sit in their classroom at Assad Suri Primary School in Kandahar's Zhari District.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IDRV3L4VS7X625CIQTOGTP6VUA.jpg?smart=true&auth=d41ed21de096398c3fff4b16e3f8303dcdf4a24a7a3c1d13266435a27a611156&width=400&height=225)
![Students sit in their classroom at Assad Suri Primary School in Kandahar's Zhari District.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VOHOIKJYFQTAC7BTPMZMLI23DQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=1f0d0864e2f2852a93d474ce52f07179d2f260664b54a773180667dd4ec5d4ff&width=400&height=225)
![Once a classroom, now the police dormitory at Assad Suri Primary School in Kandahar's Zhari District. Many of the buildings have been destroyed in airstrikes and by blasts.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QUPI7C2DVHWTIQMNGLDBFDOUWQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=167e0f21320bb80b7743fd3466ed4dd7598d21c65e7083e31473c565375e0b7e&width=400&height=225)
![Students sit in their classroom at Assad Suri Primary School in Kandahar's Zhari District.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YN7M5XZBFGINPNJD3VU5OO56AU.jpg?smart=true&auth=f729415fcd92222cbcac2d95301ba100dcfa80a547cdd96929e6420fdb41adb3&width=400&height=225)
![Students sit in their classroom at Assad Suri Primary School in Kandahar's Zhari District. Many of the buildings have been destroyed in airstrikes and by blasts, leaving classrooms exposed and bullet riddled. Part of the school continues to be occupied by the local police.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/AWPCG2AH3ELI3VQJ7CMKXOPSVU.jpg?smart=true&auth=cfcd74e6b733c62cb822258b706017e436150d22557e8f26660077e635611c22&width=400&height=225)
![Boys make their way home after school as Assad Suri Primary School.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/R7B7Q7FWSSPSSOQVGMGGD7WIYQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=9b93a6965845b7ae55bbe64747c116fa325e25b81a27cd0bd24639ede51e868c&width=400&height=225)
![Children peak through a classroom window at Shahid Niamatullah Primary School in Panjwayi district, formerly occupied by ISAF and the Afghan National Police.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5BYBQ6LKM7KLV5M2XTM757YZ5A.jpg?smart=true&auth=7c4dbdb43de207a50b717aa881b7e00411e9e908d7e706460d384c83e9a149b9&width=400&height=225)
![Boys make their way home after school as Assad Suri Primary School.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CM5AEK4DZGT54KLUWNIIECZFKU.jpg?smart=true&auth=4db1272f8cee51c095a074504f70023ff0bf5f07616418ad9f9bd093c23e3e30&width=400&height=225)
![Aisha, 9, says she is not afraid to attend Assad Suri Primary Schools, as many girls aren't able to receive an education at all and this is her only option.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4KHXVUWIV55KNP7HTDJ34BYKXE.jpg?smart=true&auth=3a137baf35fd127d516c571319acb72ca3c7c123ebf78b7fb60fbbe6bd902e50&width=400&height=225)
![Children sit in a classroom at Shahid Niamatullah Primary School in Panjwayi district, formerly occupied by ISAF and the Afghan National Police.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YNJBPMALPJXTWJNLXUGVAOJ5O4.jpg?smart=true&auth=19a672ff51875b80c62bdcfb1db1b79e885c9701cfa1d3d56fb74139958bc580&width=400&height=225)
![Rahmatullah, 10, poses in a classroom at Shahid Niamatullah Primary School in Panjwayi district, formerly occupied by ISAF and the Afghan National Police. Having lost his father to the war, he says he continues to hear the sounds of bullets at night. All photos by Stefanie Glinski](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/COI5IYODDOL2GNEUVSEJZR7U7A.jpg?smart=true&auth=dde8872104b1eb7ac6405aecfb30d6046bc5616ba70778b0cc5b6cc1cfd7239e&width=400&height=225)
![Students sit in their classroom at Assad Suri Primary School in Kandahar's Zhari District. Many of the buildings have been destroyed in airstrikes and by blasts, leaving classrooms exposed and bullet riddled. Part of the school continues to be occupied by the local police.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YCDSA5RIFKQMJ2GZNWNVVZL4TM.jpg?smart=true&auth=ff5cfecff74f2d380eff75daf1cbdcd511c93e8820986e4b8cb68afed70f4dc6&width=400&height=225)
![Aisha, 9, (L) sits with her friend Rapia, 10, at Assad Suri Primary School. The girls are one of the few attending the school, hoping to become teachers themselves one day to teach other girls.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ICFJFC22N5K3SY3GJ2CZI6UEHQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=e66e25c001d6774767c9628f46710d085f03921505632a926ad9fb46b3c7b507&width=400&height=225)
![Students sit in their classroom at Assad Suri Primary School in Kandahar's Zhari District.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IDRV3L4VS7X625CIQTOGTP6VUA.jpg?smart=true&auth=d41ed21de096398c3fff4b16e3f8303dcdf4a24a7a3c1d13266435a27a611156&width=400&height=225)
![Students sit in their classroom at Assad Suri Primary School in Kandahar's Zhari District.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VOHOIKJYFQTAC7BTPMZMLI23DQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=1f0d0864e2f2852a93d474ce52f07179d2f260664b54a773180667dd4ec5d4ff&width=400&height=225)
![Once a classroom, now the police dormitory at Assad Suri Primary School in Kandahar's Zhari District. Many of the buildings have been destroyed in airstrikes and by blasts.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QUPI7C2DVHWTIQMNGLDBFDOUWQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=167e0f21320bb80b7743fd3466ed4dd7598d21c65e7083e31473c565375e0b7e&width=400&height=225)
![Students sit in their classroom at Assad Suri Primary School in Kandahar's Zhari District.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YN7M5XZBFGINPNJD3VU5OO56AU.jpg?smart=true&auth=f729415fcd92222cbcac2d95301ba100dcfa80a547cdd96929e6420fdb41adb3&width=400&height=225)
![Students sit in their classroom at Assad Suri Primary School in Kandahar's Zhari District. Many of the buildings have been destroyed in airstrikes and by blasts, leaving classrooms exposed and bullet riddled. Part of the school continues to be occupied by the local police.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/AWPCG2AH3ELI3VQJ7CMKXOPSVU.jpg?smart=true&auth=cfcd74e6b733c62cb822258b706017e436150d22557e8f26660077e635611c22&width=400&height=225)
![Boys make their way home after school as Assad Suri Primary School.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/R7B7Q7FWSSPSSOQVGMGGD7WIYQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=9b93a6965845b7ae55bbe64747c116fa325e25b81a27cd0bd24639ede51e868c&width=400&height=225)
![Children peak through a classroom window at Shahid Niamatullah Primary School in Panjwayi district, formerly occupied by ISAF and the Afghan National Police.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5BYBQ6LKM7KLV5M2XTM757YZ5A.jpg?smart=true&auth=7c4dbdb43de207a50b717aa881b7e00411e9e908d7e706460d384c83e9a149b9&width=400&height=225)
![Boys make their way home after school as Assad Suri Primary School.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CM5AEK4DZGT54KLUWNIIECZFKU.jpg?smart=true&auth=4db1272f8cee51c095a074504f70023ff0bf5f07616418ad9f9bd093c23e3e30&width=400&height=225)
![Aisha, 9, says she is not afraid to attend Assad Suri Primary Schools, as many girls aren't able to receive an education at all and this is her only option.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4KHXVUWIV55KNP7HTDJ34BYKXE.jpg?smart=true&auth=3a137baf35fd127d516c571319acb72ca3c7c123ebf78b7fb60fbbe6bd902e50&width=400&height=225)
![Children sit in a classroom at Shahid Niamatullah Primary School in Panjwayi district, formerly occupied by ISAF and the Afghan National Police.](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YNJBPMALPJXTWJNLXUGVAOJ5O4.jpg?smart=true&auth=19a672ff51875b80c62bdcfb1db1b79e885c9701cfa1d3d56fb74139958bc580&width=400&height=225)
Annual $59bn funding gap could leave millions of children without basic skills
Children’s charity Theirworld urges world leaders to commit to innovative financing solutions
![Jamie Prentis](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F7e8731e9-4925-4121-9565-fee2525fc1c6.png?smart=true&auth=8c028507ec53318d49d5123c5dc965135b9b7aea1a6d3ffd9ccacfb39b6f8f40&width=70&height=70)
Jamie Prentis
April 05, 2021
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April 05, 2021