Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education (MoE) must devise and implement strategies to keep children in school, draw more teachers to rural areas, and fund and build more schools, or the significant gains in education since 2001 may be lost, a consortium of Afghan and international human rights, research and advocacy organizations said today.

While praising the MoE for its commitment and efforts as set out in the December 2006 National Strategic Plan for Education 1385-89, HHRAC called on the government to place new priority on ensuring children stay in school and not drop out, on providing incentives to teachers to live and work in rural areas, and on funding and building new schools.

“Great strides have been made toward reconstructing education infrastructure in Afghanistan and ensuring all children have access to education,” said Leslie Wilson Country Director of Save the Children USA in Afghanistan . “These achievements are to the credit of the government and should be a source of pride to the Afghan people. We must now build on these accomplishments by recognizing the need to keep children in school, reward teachers who fill acute needs in rural and remote locations, and escalate the funding and construction of school facilities.”

In the past five years, more than six million children have enrolled in primary school in Afghanistan , HRRAC noted – a remarkable achievement for a country devastated by 27 years of conflict. While much has been accomplished in this short period, great challenges remain and the government must maintain education as a national priority and recognize and respond swiftly to emerging education needs.

The MoE estimates that in 1384 (2005) almost 4,895,000 school-age children and adolescents were enrolled in school; in 1386 (2007), this figure is expected to reach six million. Consistently, girls made up an average of one-third of these students in grades 1-12.

HRRAC called on the Afghan government to fulfill its responsibility to ensure available and accessible quality education in all regions of Afghanistan . HRRAC survey results and government data demonstrate that where a child lives has an enormous impact on access to education. In urban centers there are more opportunities to study at a higher level; and, open and positive attitudes toward education also translate into higher

enrollment and retention levels of both boys and girls. In rural areas, compromised access to education and more closed and negative attitudes toward education have an adverse impact on enrolment and retention.

HRRAC also noted the need to improve security in the country to support education. Insecurity has consistent impacts on education. Injury and death, school closures and lack of teachers (due to intimidation) result from insecurity. As a consequence, children are deprived of their right to education which, in turn, exacerbates the stunted development the country already feels after decades of conflict.

HRRAC urged the Ministry of Education to focus not only on getting children into school (the plan calls for the enrollment of 7.7 million by 1389) but on keeping them in school, too. Government statistics show that Afghan children are enrolling in the first grade in great numbers; however, unfortunately the same statistics show that students are dropping out of school as well. Thus, the challenge is not only to get children into school, but to keep them enrolled.

HRRAC called on the Afghan government to fulfill its responsibility to ensure available and accessible quality education in all regions of Afghanistan .

HRRAC called on the Afghan government to fulfill two primary responsibilities to ensure availability of education: to create and implement incentives that encourages teachers to move to rural areas, where they are most needed; and to fund and build more schools.

HRRAC recommends that:

* The government must respond creatively to widespread demand for qualified women teachers in rural areas.
* To encourage women to teach in rural areas, the MoE must immediately provide incentives, including increased pay, following the Ministry of Public Health Basic Package of Health Services model, and relocation support.
* The MoE must work closely with local officials and communities to establish an accurate assessment of school facility shortages, and new schools built only where there are adequate human and financial resources to support them.
* Community-based schools must be supported with the intent of either becoming or being replaced by formal government schools.
* The government must investigate and remove illegal obstacles to education such as school fees and uniforms.
* The MoE must urgently facilitate the free and fair distribution of already-printed textbooks to schools nationwide, and accelerate the production of additional textbooks.
* Concerted efforts, including teacher training and classroom monitoring, must be made to eliminate physical and psychological abuse in schools by teachers, staff and students.

For further information, please contact:

Horia Mosadiq

Director, HRRAC

horia.mosadiq@ afghanadvocacy. org.af

0799 315 334