DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 171/10
Monday, 17 May 2010
Tarin Kowt boys’ primary school opened
Progress continues to be made in the southern Afghanistan province of Oruzgan with the opening
of the Tarin Kowt Boys’ Primary School.
A new primary school, funded by the Australian Government, was officially opened to hundreds of
young Afghan students and their teachers on Tuesday 11 May 2010.
The $1.2 million Tarin Kowt Boys’ Primary School includes 35 furnished class rooms within a
rendered brick building set on almost one hectare of land.
Commanding Officer of the 1st Mentoring Task Force (MTF1), Lieutenant Colonel Jason Blain,
participated in the school opening, marking the completion of another successful development
project jointly undertaken by the ADF and AusAID.
“This new facility will provide children with the foundations of a learning environment in which to
grow. It will help deliver opportunity and future growth in Tarin Kowt,” Lieutenant Colonel Blain
said.
The opening ceremony involved 500 students, teachers, and community leaders with opening
addresses by the Interim Governor of Oruzgan Province, Khoday Rahim Kahn and Lieutenant
Colonel Blain.
“The completion of the Tarin Kowt Boys’ Primary School is the culmination of hard work by
successive Australian Defence Force contingents and AusAID in coordination with the Oruzgan
Provincial Government,” Lieutenant Colonel Blain said.
AusAID was also responsible for the provision of the school’s furnishings of desks and blackboards
manufactured by a Kandahar-based firm.
Other MTF1 and AusAID development projects are underway throughout Oruzgan Province, with
the Tarin Kowt Boys’ High School nearing completion and the Tarin Kowt Girl’s School currently
under construction.
“The Boys’ High School and Girls’ School projects are also key developments in Tarin Kowt. They
are located near the Primary School and will open in the not too distant future,” Lieutenant Colonel
Blain said.
43,000 children now attend school in Oruzgan Province, including 4,100 girls with a further 7,000
students attending secondary or higher education.
Media Note:
For more information on the Australian Defence Force’s operations in Afghanistan go to:
Imagery is available from Defence at
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: (02) 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
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