Bibi Hawa Girls High School
26000 Jalalabad, Street Reg-e-Shamard Khan, Behsood district, Afghanistan
Hawa is an Arabic-originated Muslim name, Hawa name best meaning is Longing, (kiswahili origin ) in English

Principal of Bibi Hawa School in Jalalabad:
Mrs. Saifora Malakzai (2016)
Mrs. Saif (20180605)

Background:
Bibi Hawa Girls’ School in Jalalabad, eastern Afghanistan, is among the premier schools in the country. Its 6,500 students have safe water and sanitation facilities, a computer lab, a tennis club, a playground, and a reputation for high pass rates and good grades in the final Grade 12 exam. Teachers with infants can also concentrate on providing a quality education knowing that their toddlers are safely cared for in the school’s on-site crèche.

In 2016 the school took another pioneering step. It introduced an early childhood development (ECD) class for children aged 4 to 7. Principal Saifora Malakzai volunteered the school for the UNICEF-supported initiative.

Introducing ECD classes in Afghanistan’s eastern region

UNICEF has supported the Ministry of Education to establish 65 early childhood development classes within government schools in Afghanistan’s eastern region to help develop children’s physical, mental and intellectual abilities in readiness for primary school.

ECD teachers receive 10 days’ training and a monthly incentive payment based on the government salary scale. Each ECD class is provided with teaching and learning materials including a blackboard, floor mats, and school bags. They also receive a UNICEF ECD kit supported by the IKEA Foundation with materials for learning and fun such as crayons, paper, puppets, sponge balls and puzzles. All ECD classes are regularly monitored by the Provincial Department of Education.

At Bibi Hawa School the ECD class is held in a former guard hut, converted to accommodate 35 children. In the small room home-made posters line the walls and the children jostle for their teacher’s attention to have their turn to demonstrate that they can write their names on the chalkboard.(20170417)

German Aid for Afghan Children (GAAC) has donated 195 solar home systems to teachers of the Bibi Hawa Girls High School in Jalalalabad, Nangahar. The systems were installed by Zularistan Ltd. in July 2017.