Education in Afghanistan

Introduction

Education in the Afghanistan was significantly 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 the national university at Kabul. Despite those improvements, large percent of the population remained illiterate. Beginning with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, successive wars virtually destroyed the education system. Most teachers fled the country during the wars. By the middle of the 1990s, only about 650 schools were functioning.

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 2001, the interim government received substantial international aid to restore the education system. In 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 students, male and female, enrolled. Five other universities were being rehabilitated in the early 2000s. Since the end of the dogmatic Taliban era in 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 improved, with more modern-style schools being built each year.

Brief History

The first formal steps at creating a modern educational system occurred during the reign of Amir Habibullah (1901-1919). In 1903, he founded Habibia Lycee, which eventually adopted the curriculum of British Indian high schools. According to Ghobar (1967), Habibia Lycee produced intellectuals and some students were sent abroad to study in British India. Great strides were made in social literacy, newsprint, libraries, and public discourse.

"The Department of Education was established in 1913 for the first time in order to modernize and broaden the curriculum of the traditional schools" (Miran, 1975, P.51).  

Amir Habibullah's son, Prince Enayatullah, was appointed Head of the Department. Education and school supplies were provided free of charge to all students. In addition, a small stipend was awarded to students as an incentive to pursue an education. Most of the foundation for the educational system in Afghanistan was established after Shah Amanullah rose to the leadership and seized national independence in 1919. In 1922, the Ministry of Education was added and Prince Abdur Rahman was appointed as the country's first Minister of Education.

By 1950 there were 368 primary, secondary and vocational schools, and one teacher training school with a total of 95,300 students. The enrollment of children in primary education was 6% of the corresponding age (6 through 12) in an estimated population of 11 million people. In 1947, Kabul University was formally established. Three years later, the departments of theology, agriculture, and economics were founded.

Afghanistan's 1964 constitution provided free and compulsory education at all levels. Prior to the civil war the respected Kabul University (founded in 1932) was a major seat of learning with free tuition. Nine other colleges were established within it from 1938 through 1967, each with assistance from such countries as France, Germany, the United States, Egypt, and the USSR. Before 1961 only men could receive a higher education; that year all faculties were made coeducational. University of Nangarhar (1962) in Jalalabad was established to teach medicine and other disciplines.

Before the 1978 military coup, the public school system was based on Western models. Special emphasis was placed on primary education. Secondary schools existed in Kabul and the larger towns. Twelve years of primary and secondary schooling were expected, although many Afghans could not attend because they lived in areas where there were no schools.

In the mid-1980s the country had about 800 primary schools and 300 general secondary schools. Kabul University had about 6500 students. Literacy was estimated to be about 29 percent for all Afghans aged 15 and older in 1990, about 44 percent for males and about 14 percent for females. However, some experts believe these figures are too high, since up to 80 percent of the schools had been destroyed by this time; warfare effectively eliminated most education thereafter and a generation grew up without any formal schooling.

In 1986, a new university was founded in Balkh. President Najibullah, a graduate of the school of medicine at Kabul University realized the need for more higher education throughout the country by opening two new universities were founded in Herat (1988), and Kandahar (1991). While facing obstacles on other front, the government was succeeding in educating and fighting literacy:

 System of Education:

Two separate systems of education exist in Afghanistan. The older system is a religious one, taught by the mullahs, who conduct classes in the madrassas (mosque schools). They teach the religious precepts of the Qur’an, reading, writing, and arithmetic. The other system was introduced in Afghanistan’s 1964 constitution, which provided for free and compulsory education at all levels.

By the 2003-04 academic year 4.2 million boys and girls attended about 7,000 schools around the country. The male-female ratio had returned to pre-Taliban levels, although boys still outnumbered girls. A major project to improve literacy rates throughout Afghanistan was launched in January 2003 with the help of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The average literacy rate was estimated to be 36 percent for all Afghans aged 15 and older in 2000, with 51 percent literacy among males and 21 percent among females.

According to the 2004 constitution, Afghans are free to choose the language in which they receive their education. Primary and secondary educations are available in both Dari and Pashto, as well as in Afghanistan’s other languages, such as Uzbek. University courses are mostly taught in Dari. Kabul University, founded in 1932, is the country’s largest and most prestigious academic institution. Nine other colleges were established within it from 1938 through 1967. The University of Nangarhar in Jalalabad was established in 1962 to teach medicine and other disciplines. Important but small universities are also located in Kandahar, Herat, Balkh, and Bamian. Before 1961 only men could receive a higher education; that year the government opened all public institutions of higher learning to women.

Types of Education:

There are two types of education in Afghanistan:

1.      Governmental education

2.      Private education

Governmental Education:

STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION SYSTEM

    Type of school providing this education: Primary School

Length of program in years: 6

Age level from: 7 to: 13

Type of school providing this education: Middle School

Length of program in years: 3

Age level from: 13 to: 16

Upper Education:

Type of school providing this education: High School

Length of program in years: 3

Age level from: 16 to: 19

Certificate/diploma awarded: Baccaluria

• School education:
  

Primary education lasts for six years. Admission to secondary education is based on an entrance examination. Secondary education covers six years divided into two three-year cycles: grades 7 to 9, studied at middle school (Maktabeh Motevaseteh), and grades 10 to 12 at high school (Doreyeh Aali). At the end of the first cycle, pupils sit for an examination. At the end of the second cycle, they sit for the Baccaluria. Technical secondary education is offered in the lower and upper secondary cycle at middle schools in such subjects as Commerce, Applied Arts, Teacher Training, Agriculture and Aeronautics. Courses lead to a Baccaluria level qualification. A structure of eight years of general basic education followed by four years of secondary education had been introduced for a few years during the educational reform of 1975. Such a structure will probably be reconsidered in the near future.

• Higher education:
  

      Higher education is mainly provided by six universities (including a University of Islamic Studies), one Agricultural Institute, one Polytechnic, one State Medical Institute and teacher training colleges. For the last five years higher education had been forbidden for girls in the areas controlled by the Taliban. For the first time in February 2002, with the assistance of UNESCO, more than 1000 women students took university entrance examinations.

Types of Higher Education Institutions:

University

Institute

Polytechnic

Teacher-Training College

 School leaving and higher education credentials:

 Baccaluria

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree

Doctor's Degree

After years of war, Afghanistan's education system was left in turmoil. However, through coordination and co-operation with the international community, the following progress has been achieved;

1. Computer systems established in the MoHE, universities and institutes of higher education.
2. Scholarships and fellowships established.
3. Reconstruction and refurbishing of destroyed and damaged buildings.
4. Publishing of magazines and daily and weekly newspapers.
5. Compilations and translation of books and scientific papers.
6. Increasing the number of students from 10,000 to 40,000 of which 25% are women.
7. Reform of administration departments.

Afghanistan's Universities and Institutes of Higher Education

1. Kabul University
2. Kabul Medical University
3. Kabul Polytechnic University
4. Kabul Education University
5. Herat University
6. Nangarhar University

Private Education:

The American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) located in Kabul, Afghanistan, is the nation’s first private, not-for-profit institution of higher education. Established in 2006, AUAF offers three undergraduate degree programs, as well as intensive English-language preparation courses and professional development training.

Programs are offered at foundation, undergraduate, and continuing education levels. All programs are conducted entirely in English. The University runs on the US semester system with the academic year starting in August, and in other respects operate in the style of American Universities around the world.

•          The Undergraduate Degree Program

American University of Afghanistan currently offers three four-year undergraduate degree programs: Business Administration, Information Technology, and Liberal Arts. All undergraduate programs include an applied general studies component, consisting of 15 courses of study. Through applied general studies, students gain knowledge in a variety of areas in their first two years of study, including both required and elective courses in English composition, mathematics, the natural sciences, arts and humanities, and the social sciences. In fall 2008, Stanford Law School's Afghanistan Legal Education Project was trialed at the University. It saw approximately 60 students enroll in an "Introduction to Law" course that features the first text in decades dedicated to the legal system in Afghanistan.

•         The Foundation Studies Program

The Foundation Studies Program prepares students for the challenging expectations of university degree programs, and also develops the high-level English language skills necessary to take on major employment positions in Afghanistan or abroad. AUAF offers instruction in English through native English-speaking instructors from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and South Asia.

•          The Professional Development Institute

The American University of Afghanistan’s Professional Development Institute was established in 2007 to meet the training needs of professionals in Afghanistan and the region. It offers an array of high-impact, high-value training courses, workshops and seminars to professionals from the private sector, non-governmental organizations working in Afghanistan and the region, and governmental bodies.

USAID’s education strategy was designed in 2002 to meet the urgent need for textbooks, schools, new curricula, and trained teachers. USAID funded an accelerated learning program providing a chance for students denied an education to get caught up and complete sixth grade. The education strategy was expanded in 2004 to develop the capacity of the Afghan government to improve education quality while simultaneously increasing access to opportunities in basic education, higher education, and non-formal training in literacy, productive skills and youth leadership. 

• Improving Basic Education:  Increasing access to quality primary and secondary schools is a key education priority. USAID is improving basic education through programs aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Education, improving teacher performance and skills development, and ensuring adequate school materials and environments for learning.
• Supporting Higher Education:  USAID’s higher education program has introduced new initiatives including providing technical assistance to targeted institutions and strengthening linkages between universities. USAID supports the American University of Afghanistan, a private English language American-style university in Kabul, with an expected enrollment of up to 1,000 students by 2010. A war-damaged Women’s Dormitory at Kabul University was repaired and is now operational and able to house over 1,000 women, mainly from rural areas.
• Expanding Non-Formal Education:  In many villages, more than 90 percent of the women cannot read or write. USAID’s large scale literacy and occupational skills program takes place outside the formal educational system and focuses on providing literacy and skills training to women and men age 15 and over. More than 9,200 students have already learned functional literacy, economic self-reliance, grassroots democracy and women’s rights. Establishment of the National Literacy Center (formerly the Women’s Teacher Training Institute) in Kabul provides access to training, materials, and modern teaching techniques, and supports the development of practical literacy, numeracy, and life skills.
• School Construction:  In conjunction with the Ministry of Education, USAID is building schools in rural areas. Since 2002, USAID has built or refurbished over 680 schools, mostly in remote areas.

Data of Literacy Rate:

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 28.1%
male: 43.1%
female: 12.6% (2000 est.)

 School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years
male: 11 years
female: 4 years (2004)

 Education expenditures:

NA

 Obstacles:

One of the most frequently cited problems was low quality. One respondent argued: “It is important to receive higher education—but quality education. If we compare today’s education [in Afghanistan] with the world, our quality of education is substantially lower.” Students were concerned that low quality would hinder their chances for employment and a better life. Students and faculty attributed much of the poor educational quality to the war, lack of access to computers, destroyed or primitive libraries, the shortage of textbooks, inadequate instruction, and lack of access to the vast resources on the Internet. They stressed concerns about the lack of laboratory facilities, technical training, and practical experience for students at colleges and universities.

•   Funding concerns: The focus groups identified the cost of higher education as a major problem. Although higher education did not require payment of tuition or fees, there were costs associated with transportation, clothing, education material, as well as food and housing in many cases. Respondents believed that both government and the donor community gave higher education too little funding and did not regard it as a high priority. An 11th grade girl in Kapisa expressed her commitment to education: “This is the time for us to study and it will not come again. Roads can be built and electricity can be restored later—at any time.” We asked who should bear the major financial burdens of higher education, and most of the respondents believed the government should be responsible.

•         Gender equality: The issue of gender equity and access is one of the most difficult problems confronting higher education. Respondents noted strong opposition to the education of girls and women in some places, and several men stated their personal opposition to education for women. Most high school and university students, faculty and staff, professionals, and many government officials showed strong support for gender equity and equal access to tertiary education. Many respondents were critical of what they regarded as the failure of government to address these problems. In spite of the fall of the Taliban, many of the restrictions against women remain in place. Women continue to be discriminated against and exploited. The evidence is overwhelming, not only in higher education, but in law, health care, employment, individual rights, and freedom. The most serious problems experienced by women include limited admission opportunities, lack of personal safety, and the unwillingness of families to send their daughters far from home. The safely problem is exacerbated by the lack of transportation and dormitories for women at most colleges and universities.

•         Training for teachers and faculty members: Most teachers and university faculty acknowledged and expressed concerns about their own deficiencies in training and expertise. They noted the lack of opportunities caused by decades of war and were eager for further education for their own growth and to improve the quality of education. As one teacher put it, “. . . we are thirsty for education. We seek out education everywhere.” A university lecturer in Herat noted the critical need for faculty development saying, “teachers’ knowledge is not up to standard. . . . Our students deserve a better education.”

•     Private education: Respondents had mixed views about private education providers. Some saw them as supplying useful services that government could not afford to provide such as computer training. It was thought that private businesses and private colleges and universities could create competition that would lead to improvement in public education. Some believed that private colleges and universities would provide up-to-date instruction and technology. On the other hand, many feared that opening the door to private colleges and universities would hurt public higher education and limit quality education to wealthy elites.

      Health in Afghanistan

Introduction:

 After 23 years of conflict and political instability, a collapsed economy, and three years of severe drought, Afghanistan’s health system is among the very poorest in the world. Obtaining the most basic of necessities – food, shelter and clothing – is a constant struggle. Such exposure intensifies an already poor health situation, with acute respiratory illnesses, diarrhoeal diseases, and malnutrition killing and weakening the children of Afghanistan. There is a critical shortage of health care workers at every level. Healthcare facilities are in urgent need of restoration. There are inadequate supplies of medicines, vaccines, equipment and fuel. An estimated 6 million people have no access, or insufficient access to health care.

Brief History:

Before the war, the health situation in Afghanistan was among the worst in the world primarily because the health infrastructure was grossly inadequate and mostly limited to urban centers. Protracted conflict since 1978 worsened the inequitable distribution of health manpower and services. The estimated infant mortality rate was 163 per 1000 live births (1993); the under five mortality rate 257 for every 1000 live births (1994); the maternal mortality rate 1700 per 100,000 live births (1993); and life expectancy at birth was 43.7.

Present Health Situation:

Saving lives in Afghanistan depends on having health workers in the field and sufficient medical supplies, as well as food, shelter and security.  But the gap in material and human resources is great. Existing health services only cover limited geographical regions and even in the districts where health services are available, needs are only partially met. The impact of the conflict and remaining deadly land mines and unexploded ordnance daily adds victims both through physical injury and mental stress, affecting every family in Afghanistan over time.

Life expectancy rates are among the lowest in the world and 25% of children die before their fifth birthday. Lack of basic health care and malnutrition contribute to the high death rates.

Afghanistan has the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world. Less than 15% of deliveries are attended by trained health workers, mostly traditional birth attendants.

About half of children under 5 years of age are stunted due to chronic malnutrition and up to 10% have acute malnutrition

Mental health is a major health concern. Experts estimate that approximately 30%–50% of a population undergoing violent conflict develop some level of mental distress. Residual mental health problems that appear normally in any population have been unattended in Afghanistan for decade

Diseases that have largely been controlled in most countries in the world continue to cause death and disability in Afghanistan. More than 60% of all childhood deaths and disabilities in Afghanistan are due to respiratory infections, diarrhoea, and vaccine preventable deaths, especially measles.

Basic Indicators:

Total Population     (1998):                               23,500,000

Life expectancy at birth:                                    45 for men, 47 for women                   

Number of districts:                                          330

Number of districts w/out health center:             50

Non or underserved population:                        6 million

Mother and Child Health:

Infant mortality rate per 1000 live births:                        165 

Under five mortality per 1000 live births:                       257 

Maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births:             1,700 

Provinces with obstetric care:                                        11 of 31 provinces

Low birth weight:                                                          20%

Children under 5 with malnutrition:                                10% acute, 50 % chronic

Under fives dying from diarrhoea:                                  85,000 per year

 Immunization Coverage:                      

Less than 40% of Afghan children receive life-saving vaccinations

Disease Burden

Death from tuberculosis:                                    15,000 per year (12-13,000 are women)

Cases of measles:                                             Estimated 35,000 a year

Polio:                                                                11 in 2001 (120 cases in 2000)

Malaria             2 to 3 million per year, with 6% P. falciparum

Water and Sanitation:

Access to safe water:                                        23% (18% rural, 43% urban)

Access to adequate sanitation:               12 % (28% rural, 6% urban)

The tragedy is that 80 to 85 percent of these diseases can be avoided by preventive measures and by the provision of proper health care, or cured at an affordable cost. However, currently there is only one health center to care for every population group of approximately 100,000. Only 12 percent of pregnant women have access to maternal and emergency obstetric care; only 38 percent of children under one year are fully immunized. These problems are compounded by the fact that fully three-quarters of the nation’s physicians have left the country resulting in a physician/patient ratio of over 95,000/1. Because of the inadequacy of the health delivery system, a majority of the population relies on indigenous healers such as traditional midwives, herbalists, bone setters and barbers who circumcise, let blood, pull teeth, and perform other curative procedures. Mullahs, sayyids and other specialists prepare curative and protective amulets.

WHO heads efforts to restore Afghanistan's shattered health:

After 23 years of war, culminating in several weeks of particularly intense bombing, the health and health care system of the Afghan people are in tatters. As this issue of the Bulletin went to press, WHO was poised to spearhead efforts to restore the country's shattered health system. But it faces what a report by WHO's Central Asia crisis unit sees as "one of the worst health situations in the world".

Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, WHO's director-general, says the "number one goal is to save and improve lives in Afghanistan". However, she believes "the international community must now seize what is an excellent opportunity to turn the health situation around". A meeting in Islamabad planned for the end of November, chaired by Dr Mohamed Jama, WHO's regional coordinator for the crisis in Afghanistan, will work out a "reconstruction plan" aimed at restoring the country's health system. The meeting is organized jointly by the UN, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. Judging from the health situation in Afghanistan, it will have a challenging agenda.