School Shura in Nad-e Ali

ISAF newspapers are being used by local elders at a school in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand Province, Afghanistan, to educate children in three languages. The newspapers are printed in Dari, Pashtu and English, allowing the children to learn their local language as well as English.


Warrant Officer William “Taff” Davies, Royal Air Force, is part of the Military Stabilisation Support Team working with soldiers from the 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment as part of Combined Force Nad-e Ali. Taff and his team have been working with both the local village elders and the Education Minister to help improve education for the village children.

The school in the village, was destroyed in the past by insurgents when they tried to demonstrate their control and influence of the Kalay [village]. The local elders now teach the schoolchildren in temporary locations and PB Shahzad provides a secure and ideal setting for education.


Taff said: “I was confused as to why they wanted to take so many copies of our newspapers until a local elder told me that the newspaper is an invaluable source of information and education.”

A shura – or meeting - that was recently held to discuss the educational requirements of the local children resulted in confirmation from the Provincial Education Minister that a new school would be provided as part of a development project.

Taff said: “In the meantime, the Military Stabilisation Support Team is providing valuable resources in the form of schoolbooks and pens – along with the newspapers - to facilitate the children’s education.