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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Americans Have Paid for "Ghost Schools" in Afghanistan

    After 13 years in Afghanistan, and the loss of 2000 American lives, victories have been hard to come by. So US officials, including Hillary Clinton, when she was Secretary of State, have claimed that educating Afghan children has been a one-billion dollar success story.

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    By Warren Olney • Jul 20, 2015 • 8m Listen

    After 13 years in Afghanistan, and the loss of 2000 American lives, victories have been hard to come by. So US officials, including Hillary Clinton, when she was Secretary of State, have claimed that educating Afghan children has been a one-billion dollar success story.

    But that claim does not stand up to scrutiny.After visiting school sites, consulting databases and documents and speaking to 150 people, a Buzzfeed News investigation has found massive exaggeration, "riddled with ghost schools, teachers and students that exist only on paper." We hear more about the boondoggle from investigative reporter Azmat Khan, who wrote the story, and John Sopko, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, an independent agency created by Congress.

    Photo: Staff Sgt. Marcus J. Quarterman/US Army

    The full episode

    3 of 3
    Is the UN's Iran Deal Resolution an End Run on Congress?
    1. 1:38Obama Talks Boko Haram, Corruption with Nigerian President
    2. 8:39The Iran Nuclear Deal Is Now Up to Congress
    3. 43:56Americans Have Paid for "Ghost Schools" in Afghanistan You’re reading this
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Jenny Hamel

      KCRW

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Benjamin Gottlieb

      Reporter, Fill-in Host

    • KCRW placeholder

      Sáša Woodruff

      Producer, 'To the Point'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Azmat Khan

      BuzzFeed

    • KCRW placeholder

      John Sopko

      Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    3 of 3
    Is the UN's Iran Deal Resolution an End Run on Congress?
    1. 1:38Obama Talks Boko Haram, Corruption with Nigerian President
    2. 8:39The Iran Nuclear Deal Is Now Up to Congress
    3. 43:56Americans Have Paid for "Ghost Schools" in Afghanistan You’re reading this
    Back to To the Point