Afghanistan

The Situation

Afghanistan's civil war, flamed by foreign interests, began in 1978. Fundamentalist Taliban control ended in 2001, but despite reconstruction efforts, Afghanistan is deeply poor with chronic malnutrition, lawlessness and frequent violence against children. Girls are still excluded from many activities.We're calling on your support to help us recreate schools for all children, and redevelop essential skills in the country.

We aim to increase the number of children - especially girls and those in rural areas - able to attend school, and help them afford to complete formal education.We will enhance and complement the government's own provision and will emphasise the wider community responsibility for ensuring the right to education for all Afghan children.

Our Target

We need the international community to create a climate where Afghanistan can afford to, and has the long-term stability to, deliver its education goals. We will help the Afghan government to:

• raise the shortfall in funds - of around $500 million a year
• increase enrolment at primary level to 75 per cent for girls and 85 per cent for boys
• ensure 70 per cent of teachers meet a defined level of competency

Our direct practical work with community and government partners will help 36,000 more Afghan children go to school by 2010, and offer these plus 98,000 others a better and more relevant education.

How Afghanistan measures up

• 46% of children aged 7-12 are out of school
• 60% of girls aged 7-13 are out of school
• Fewer than 15% of teachers have a teaching degree
• Just 20% of pupils starting primary school complete grade
• 27% of teachers are female but most are in urban schools
• 92% of girls in some rural areas are out of school

Full details

Other Countries

Afghanistan »   Angola »   Colombia »   Cote d'Ivoire »   Democratic Republic of Congo »   Nepal »   Southern Sudan »   Sudan »   Uganda »