MIANWALI: Punjab Afghan Refugees Commissioner Riaz Chaudhry said on Thursday the government would ensure that Afghan refugees had access to education, skills training and health services in Pakistan.

“Our office has made concerted efforts to help upgrade and affiliate Ms Aqeela’s school with the Sargodha education board,” he said at a ceremony to pay a tribute to local school teacher, Aqeela Asifi, at Kot Chandna refugee camp, 45 kilometres from Mianwali.

The function by the UNHCR paid tribute to Ms Asifi - the first ever teacher at the refugee camp school, who has also won the Nansen Refugee Award of 2015.

Later, she donated the award money to the school at the Kot Chandna refugee village in Mianwali district to construct a library, a laboratory and two classrooms. The first batch of 200 female students has completed a skill training course here.

The UNHCR official visited the school to honour MS Asifi and distributed certificates among successful students.

The commissioner said the Punjab government, in recognition of Ms Asifi work, had upgraded the Community Girls Model School No 2, where she teaches.

UN refuge agency representative in Pakistan Ruvendrini Menikdiwela also lauded the efforts of Ms Asifi.

“Her decision to use the Nansen Award money to support the school and create skills training opportunities for girls reflects her genuine commitment to bring Afghan refugee girls to classrooms and equip them with skills,” she said.

At the ceremony, Ms Asifi said many Afghan refugee girl students had to stay home after completing grade 8 as there were no higher secondary schools in the entire camp. The upgraded school would provide opportunities to Afghan girls to enroll in grade 9.

With the five-month computer and tailoring training, Ms Asifi said, 200 female students were now able to earn a decent living.

She said she felt relieved and glad to see her students fulfill their dreams.

Representatives from the Norwegian Embassy, officials of federal and provincial governments, elders of various Afghan refugees tribes and students of Kot Chandna refugee school were also present.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2017