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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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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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Balkh Education Facility classroom 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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Paint peeling off classroom ceiling of 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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A parent and student leave Hoover Elementary School in white-out conditions on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014, in North Mankato, Minn., after high winds accompanied by frigid temperatures prompted officials to dismiss classes early. Many schools across south-central Minnesota dismissed early because of the blizzard conditions. (AP Photo/The Mankato Free Press, John Cross)
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Staff members at Jefferson Elementary School in New Ulm Minn. guide students to their buses on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014 in New Ulm, Minn. Schools in New Ulm were forced to close early again because high winds creating blizzard like conditions. The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the region and west central Minnesota. (AP Photo/The Journal of New Ulm, Steve Muscatello)
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University of Oklahoma President David Boren speaks on the University of Oklahoma's campus in Norman, Okla. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. Reports of shots fired at the University of Oklahoma's architecture school prompted a brief lockdown Wednesday, but officials said no evidence of a shooting had been found as authorities continued to sweep the building. (AP Photo/The Daily, Luke Reynolds)
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Students crowd the corner of Asp Avenue and Lindsey Street outside the school stadium on the University of Oklahoma's campus in Norman, Okla. on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. Reports of shots fired at the University of Oklahoma's architecture school prompted a brief lockdown Wednesday, but officials said no evidence of a shooting had been found as authorities continued to sweep the building. (AP Photo/The Daily, Luke Reynolds)
