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U.S.-funded school built for Afghans at the expense of U.S. taxpayers is still incomplete after five years of work

Access point to septic tank at the Balkh Education Facility in Afghanistan. In the latest aid problem in Afghanistan, investigators found that a school built for the Balkh province is still unfinished, with structural issues that could pose a danger to students and teachers. “Nearly 5 years after construction began, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is unable to transfer the facility to Afghan authorities,†said the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. The school needs repairs to “a leaking roof, defective electrical wiring, and an improperly sloped terrace roof,†inspectors said, adding that sewer pipes near water sources aren't properly insulated, raising the possibility of contamination. They're also concerned about whether the roof and septic system are designed to hold the weight imposed on them, and that officials cannot assure that the structure “will not collapse at some point in time.†USAID disagreed that the building is structurally unsound. The Army Corps of Engineers which built the school, has “rigorous procedures and requirements for the design and construction of its building projects.†The aid agency did agree that work on the school is incomplete, and said they will fix any remaining problems with the building. The school has yet to be approved for use, but classes were held in the building in 2013. In response, USAID secured the facility to make sure no one used it, but SIGAR noted that Afghan authorities are not pleased about the ongoing delays. The original contract to build the school was just under $3 million, part of a $17.1 million program to build a system of educational facilities across Afghanistan.
Access point to septic tank at the Balkh Education Facility in Afghanistan. In the latest aid problem in Afghanistan, investigators found that a school built for the Balkh province is still unfinished, with structural issues that could pose a danger to students and teachers. “Nearly 5 years after construction began, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is unable to transfer the facility to Afghan authorities,†said the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. The school needs repairs to “a leaking roof, defective electrical wiring, and an improperly sloped terrace roof,†inspectors said, adding that sewer pipes near water sources aren't properly insulated, raising the possibility of contamination. They're also concerned about whether the roof and septic system are designed to hold the weight imposed on them, and that officials cannot assure that the structure “will not collapse at some point in time.†USAID disagreed that the building is structurally unsound. The Army Corps of Engineers which built the school, has “rigorous procedures and requirements for the design and construction of its building projects.†The aid agency did agree that work on the school is incomplete, and said they will fix any remaining problems with the building. The school has yet to be approved for use, but classes were held in the building in 2013. In response, USAID secured the facility to make sure no one used it, but SIGAR noted that Afghan authorities are not pleased about the ongoing delays. The original contract to build the school was just under $3 million, part of a $17.1 million program to build a system of educational facilities across Afghanistan.

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