Education in Afghanistan
Encyclopedia
Education in Afghanistan includes K-12 and Higher education
, which is supervised by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education in Kabul
, Afghanistan
. Since 2002, Afghanistan is going through a nation wide rebuilding process and despite some setbacks due to the ongoing Taliban insurgency
the education sector has been improving as more educational institutions are established.
in Kabul. It was established by King Habibullah Khan in 1903 and helped educate students from the nation's elite class. In the 1920s, the German-funded Amani High School
opened in Kabul, and about a decade later two French lycées (secondary schools) began, the AEFE
and the Lycée Esteqlal
. The Kabul University
was established in 1932.
Education was improved under the rule of King Zahir Shah (from 1933 to 1973), making primary schools available to about half the population who were younger than 12 years of age, and expanding the secondary school system and Kabul University.
During the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
, the government of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
reformed the education system; education was stressed for both sexes, and widespread literacy programmes were set up. According to sources, in 1988, women made up 40 percent of the doctors and 60 percent of the teachers at Kabul University; 440,000 female students were enrolled in educational institutions and 80,000 more in literacy programs. Despite improvements, large percentage of the population remained illiterate. Beginning with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
in 1979, successive wars virtually destroyed the nation's education system. Most teachers fled during the wars to neighboring countries. In the middle of the 1990s, only about 650 schools were functioning throughout the country.
In 1996 the Taliban regime banned education for females, and the madrassa (mosque school) became the main source of primary and secondary education
. After the overthrow of the Taliban in late 2001, the Karzai administration received substantial international aid to restore the education system. By 2003 some 7,000 schools were operating in 20 of the 34 provinces, with 27,000 teachers teaching 4.2 million children (including 1.2 million girls). Of that number, about 3.9 million were in primary schools. When Kabul University reopened in 2002, some 24,000 male and female students enrolled for higher education. Five other universities were being rehabilitated in the early 2000s. Since the end of the dogmatic Taliban era in late 2001, public school curricula have included religious subjects, but detailed instruction is left to religious teachers. In 2003 an estimated 57 percent of men and 86 percent of women were illiterate, and the lack of skilled and educated workers was a major economic disadvantage.
By 2006, over 4 million male and female students were enrolled in schools throughout Afghanistan. At the same time school facilities or institutions were also being refurbished or improved, with more modern-style schools being built each year. The American University of Afghanistan
(AUAF) in Kabul was established in the mid 2000s, including a number of other universities were renovated or rebuilt such as Kandahar University
in the south, Nangarhar University
and Khost University
in the east, Herat University
in the west and Balkh University
in the north. However, there are still significant obstacles to education in Afghanistan, many of which stem from a lack of funding. Planning curricula and school programs is difficult for the Ministry of Education because a significant amount of the budget for education comes from varying external donors each year, making it difficult to predict what the annual budget will be.
The obstacles to education are even more numerous for Afghan girls. Afghanistan's then Education Minister, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, said in 2007 that 60% of students were studying in tents or other unprotected structures, and some parents refused to let their daughters attend schools in such conditions. A lack of women teachers is another issue that concerns some parents, especially in more conservative areas. Some parents will not allow their daughters to be taught by men. But this often means that girls are not allowed to attend school, as the international aid agency Oxfam
reported in 2007 that about one quarter of Afghan teachers were women. In 2009, another concern is the destruction of schools by the Taliban, especially girls' schools. Following the destruction of over 150 schools in a year, many parents have doubts about the government's ability to protect them. Despite the conflict, major achievements have been made since the fall of the Taliban (2001):
In 2010, the United States began establishing a number of Lincoln learning centers in Afghanistan. They are set up to serve as programming platforms offering English language classes, library facilities, programming venues, Internet connectivity, educational and other counseling services. A goal of the program is to reach at least 4,000 Afghan citizens per month per location. In June 2011, officials from the United States signed a joint statement with Afghan Education Minister Ghulam Farooq Wardak to expand future opportunities for direct financial support from USAID to the Afghan Ministry of Education.
By the summer of 2011, there were 8.2 million students in the country,
Prior to the US invasion of Afghanistan, there were virtually no girls being educated. In 2010, there were 2.5 million girls in school. 5 million children attended no school. Most of those were girls. The percentage of girls in school dropped more than 50% between the sixth and seventh grades.
Illiteracy among adults is 57% for men, 87% for women. Girls must be educated in schools in a separate building from boys, and, after 13, taught by women teachers, which are often lacking. 48% of Taliban school attacks are against girls schools; 28% against boys schools.
of the Supreme Court of Afghanistan, spoke out against co-education—the education of boys and girls in shared facilities—while clarifying that he did not object to the education of girls and women in principle, just not in facilities shared with men and boys.
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
, which is supervised by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. Since 2002, Afghanistan is going through a nation wide rebuilding process and despite some setbacks due to the ongoing Taliban insurgency
Taliban insurgency
The Taliban insurgency took root shortly after the group's fall from power following the 2001 war in Afghanistan. The Taliban continue to attack Afghan, U.S., and other ISAF troops and many terrorist incidents attributable to them have been registered. The war has also spread over the southern and...
the education sector has been improving as more educational institutions are established.
Overview
One of the oldest schools in Afghanistan is the Habibia High SchoolHabibia High School
Habibia High School is a school in Kabul, Afghanistan, which has educated many of the former and current Afghan elite, including President Hamid Karzai and the country's most famous musician Ahmad Zahir. It was founded by King Habibullah Khan in 1903....
in Kabul. It was established by King Habibullah Khan in 1903 and helped educate students from the nation's elite class. In the 1920s, the German-funded Amani High School
Amani High School
Amani High School, also known as Amani–Oberrealschule, is a school in Kabul, Afghanistan. From the time of its foundation in 1924 until 1985, Amani High School was recognized as one of the elite schools in Kabul and received direct support from Germany, which also helped to provide a qualified staff...
opened in Kabul, and about a decade later two French lycées (secondary schools) began, the AEFE
Agence pour l'Enseignement Français à l'Etranger
The Agency for French Teaching Abroad, , is a national public agency under the administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France that assures the quality of schools teaching the French national curriculum outside of France...
and the Lycée Esteqlal
Lycée Esteqlal
The Lycée Esteqlal is a Franco-Afghan school in Kabul, Afghanistan. It is the second oldest school in Kabul, and was recognized as one of the prestigious schools in the country....
. The Kabul University
Kabul University
Kabul University is located in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. It was founded in 1931 but officially opened for classes in 1932. Kabul University is currently attended by approximately 7,000 students, of which 1,700 are women. As of 2008, Hamidullah Amin is the chancellor of the university...
was established in 1932.
During the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was a government of Afghanistan between 1978 and 1992. It was both ideologically close to and economically dependent on the Soviet Union, and was a major belligerent of the Afghan Civil War.- Saur Revolution :...
, the government of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
The People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan was a communist party established on the 1 January 1965. While a minority, the party helped former president of Afghanistan, Mohammed Daoud Khan, to overthrow his cousin, Mohammed Zahir Shah, and established Daoud's Republic of Afghanistan...
reformed the education system; education was stressed for both sexes, and widespread literacy programmes were set up. According to sources, in 1988, women made up 40 percent of the doctors and 60 percent of the teachers at Kabul University; 440,000 female students were enrolled in educational institutions and 80,000 more in literacy programs. Despite improvements, large percentage of the population remained illiterate. Beginning with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
in 1979, successive wars virtually destroyed the nation's education system. Most teachers fled during the wars to neighboring countries. In the middle of the 1990s, only about 650 schools were functioning throughout the country.
In 1996 the Taliban regime banned education for females, and the madrassa (mosque school) became the main source of primary and secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
. After the overthrow of the Taliban in late 2001, the Karzai administration received substantial international aid to restore the education system. By 2003 some 7,000 schools were operating in 20 of the 34 provinces, with 27,000 teachers teaching 4.2 million children (including 1.2 million girls). Of that number, about 3.9 million were in primary schools. When Kabul University reopened in 2002, some 24,000 male and female students enrolled for higher education. Five other universities were being rehabilitated in the early 2000s. Since the end of the dogmatic Taliban era in late 2001, public school curricula have included religious subjects, but detailed instruction is left to religious teachers. In 2003 an estimated 57 percent of men and 86 percent of women were illiterate, and the lack of skilled and educated workers was a major economic disadvantage.
American University of Afghanistan
The American University of Afghanistan is Afghanistan’s first private, not-for-profit institution of higher education. Chartered in 2004, AUAF offers undergraduate degree programs as well as intensive English-language college preparatory courses and continuing education and professional...
(AUAF) in Kabul was established in the mid 2000s, including a number of other universities were renovated or rebuilt such as Kandahar University
Kandahar University
Kandahar University is a government funded higher learning institution in Kandahar, Afghanistan. It is one of two universities in southern Afghanistan. Kandahar University was established in 1990, at a time when the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan was in power under President Mohammad...
in the south, Nangarhar University
Nangarhar University
Nangarhar University is a government-funded higher learning institution in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. It is the second largest university in Afghanistan. It has approximately 250 faculty and 3,500 students....
and Khost University
Khost University
Khost University is located in the border town of Khost in eastern Afghanistan. It was established in the year 2000. It was shifted from its previous temporary location in Peshawar, Pakistan, where it was named "Afghan University Peshawar" by special order of President Hamid Karzai.Khost...
in the east, Herat University
Herat University
Herāt University is located in Herat, the capital of Herat Province, in western Afghanistan.Herat University was founded in 1988. It is attended by approximately 3,000 students, 900 of whom are women. The university is still recovering from the long period of war and chaos in the country...
in the west and Balkh University
Balkh University
Balkh University is located in Mazari Sharif, capital of Balkh province, in northern Afghanistan. Established in 1986, the university in 2008 had about 5500 students and is the third largest in Afghanistan after Kabul University and Nangarhar University...
in the north. However, there are still significant obstacles to education in Afghanistan, many of which stem from a lack of funding. Planning curricula and school programs is difficult for the Ministry of Education because a significant amount of the budget for education comes from varying external donors each year, making it difficult to predict what the annual budget will be.
The obstacles to education are even more numerous for Afghan girls. Afghanistan's then Education Minister, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, said in 2007 that 60% of students were studying in tents or other unprotected structures, and some parents refused to let their daughters attend schools in such conditions. A lack of women teachers is another issue that concerns some parents, especially in more conservative areas. Some parents will not allow their daughters to be taught by men. But this often means that girls are not allowed to attend school, as the international aid agency Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
reported in 2007 that about one quarter of Afghan teachers were women. In 2009, another concern is the destruction of schools by the Taliban, especially girls' schools. Following the destruction of over 150 schools in a year, many parents have doubts about the government's ability to protect them. Despite the conflict, major achievements have been made since the fall of the Taliban (2001):
- Between 2001 and 2009, primary school enrolment rose from 0.9 million to nearly 7 million (a sevenfold increase in eight years) and the proportion of girls from virtually zero to 37 per cent. Yet 42 per cent of the population of schoolchildren is still estimated to be out of school.
- The number of teachers in general education has risen sevenfold, but their qualifications are low and only 31 per cent are women.
- Since 2003, over 5,000 school buildings have been rehabilitated or newly constructed, but still only just over 50 per cent of schools have usable buildings. Thousands of communities have no access to schools due to distance or security. In the period between October 2005 and March 2007, 6 per cent of schools were burned down or closed down by the insurgents.
- A particular issue of concern is ongoing direct attacks on education. In 2008, the number of attacks on schools, teachers, and pupils had almost tripled to 670 – almost two attacks every day! – compared with the two previous years (O’Malley, 2010: 173; Glad, 2009: 21).
In 2010, the United States began establishing a number of Lincoln learning centers in Afghanistan. They are set up to serve as programming platforms offering English language classes, library facilities, programming venues, Internet connectivity, educational and other counseling services. A goal of the program is to reach at least 4,000 Afghan citizens per month per location. In June 2011, officials from the United States signed a joint statement with Afghan Education Minister Ghulam Farooq Wardak to expand future opportunities for direct financial support from USAID to the Afghan Ministry of Education.
By the summer of 2011, there were 8.2 million students in the country,
Education of girls
Illiteracy among adults is 57% for men, 87% for women. Girls must be educated in schools in a separate building from boys, and, after 13, taught by women teachers, which are often lacking. 48% of Taliban school attacks are against girls schools; 28% against boys schools.
Criticism of the coeducation of girls and boys
In 2003 Fazl Hadi Shinwari, then Chief JusticeChief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Supreme Court of Afghanistan, spoke out against co-education—the education of boys and girls in shared facilities—while clarifying that he did not object to the education of girls and women in principle, just not in facilities shared with men and boys.
See also
- List of universities in Afghanistan
- List of schools in Afghanistan
- Afghanistan Scout Association
- Help Afghan School Children OrganizationHelp Afghan School Children OrganizationHelp Afghan School Children Organization is a Vienna-based non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the promotion of education of Afghan disadvantaged children...
External links
- Education Plans and Policies in Afghanistan, Planipolis, IIEP-UNESCO
- History of Education in Afghanistan, Encyclopædia Iranica