In Afghanistan, Out of Conflict and Into School

	Girls make up 35% of the school enrollments in Afghanistan.

November 11, 2004 -- An hour’s walk may not seem much to some people. But for parents worried about the safety of sending their girls to school in Afghanistan, it can seem an eternity.

The fear felt by the parents is well known to Habibullah Wajdi, education specialist with the World Bank in Kabul.

“There are still local warlords and militia in many parts of Afghanistan,” Habibullah Wajdi says.

“Although in its second year, the Central Government does not have much authority anywhere outside of Kabul. There is only a limited national security or police presence, and parents fear if they let their girls walk to school there’s a chance that they could be nabbed,” he says.

Kidnapping is not the only safety issue.

“Incidents like burning of tents and school buildings, explosions near schools, and threats to female teachers still occur. These all have a negative impact on the confidence in communities to send their girls to school.”

Yet, the anxiety felt by parents contemplating sending their girls to school is only one factor explaining the wide variations in school attendance across Afghanistan.

Today, more than 5 million Afghan children are enrolled in school.
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Overall, girls make up 35% of the school enrollments in Afghanistan.

But in reality, this figure is distorted by high enrollments in major cities such as Herat and Kabul, where girls make up 35 to 58% of the total. It does not reflect the situation in rural villages across large areas of the country. In about 11 provinces, especially in the South and East, girls make up 20% or less of the total primary school enrollments.

In the former Taliban strongholds of South Afghanistan girls enrollment is at its lowest, with only 3% in Zabul, 5% in Helmand and 7% in Khost.

 “These are areas where traditionally girls were never sent to school. The traditional Islamic view meant a very conservative attitude toward female education.” Wajdi says. “In some regions, females had to remain in Pardah; they were not allowed to be seen by other males outside of the house.”

Even before the conflicts of the past 23 years, girls education was rarely promoted, except in a few urban cities. The wars and fighting over the past two decades widened the gender gap. It was not only the Taliban who eroded girls education opportunities.

“Conflict, economic hardships and cultural and religious conservatism had never allowed the authorities to pay attention to the promotion of education, especially for females. The value of education was never considered.”

Wadji now sees evidence of change.

Peace Engenders Possibilities

This change is illustrated in the number of families who have already enrolled their children in school. 

“There has been a tremendous demand for education, since the rebuilding of Afghanistan began. It has continued to exceed all expectations.” says Keiko Miwa, an Education Specialist with the World Bank also based in Kabul.

“More than 3 million students enrolled in grades one to 12 in 2002, when only 1.7 million students were expected to enroll. In March 2003, the enrollment surpassed 4 million.”

Today, more than 5 million students are enrolled in schools, according to Habibullah Wajdi. “This is the most definitive expression for education in Afghan history.”

Since April 2002, the World Bank has committed US$317 million in grants and an additional US$441 million in no-interest loans, known as “credits” for development projects in Afghanistan. Bank funds have not only been used to help keep the lights on, but also to rehabilitate water supply systems, improve infrastructure, strengthen communities, create jobs, repair schools, support the Ministry of Education in developing education policy and in training teachers. In addition, the Bank is administering six grants, totally US$27.6 million from the Japan Social Development Fund and a US$1.5 million grant for training teachers from the World Bank Post Conflict Fund.

Increased Demand Strains Teaching Resources

Teachers have had a difficult time with the lack of resources, support and increasing class sizes. In some cases, teachers have had little training, having only completed eighth grade.

“Although many teachers do not receive their salaries on time and have received little or no training, they continue to come to school and teach as best as they can. There is so much enthusiasm,” says Keiko Miwa.

While most of the teaching staff in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, are female, the chronic lack of female teachers in other regions is seen as another factor behind the low attendance rate of girls in schools.

“For most communities, the presence of a female teacher is essential for parents wanting to send their girls to school,” says Wajdi.

The Ministry of Education is using World Bank funds to establish a comprehensive certificate teaching program. Particular attention will be given to recruiting females and to transferring trained teachers from urban to rural areas.

In Afghanistan, the type of school building takes on special significance. In some communities, the type of building could decide whether a girl goes to school or not.

“In the southern region, communities demand buildings with the provision of Pardah – a school with a boundary wall,” Wajdi says.

With international assistance, Afghanistan is working on providing alternatives, including schools in mosques and homes, tents with Pardah facilities, and new, basic buildings.

Additional efforts are underway to rehabilitate primary schools with local participation. Nearly 700 schools in the Bamyan, Logar, Parwan, Kapisa and Badakhshan provinces have set up school management committees that allow the local communities oversight of their children’s education. These provinces will be able to rehabilitate about 100 primary schools using World Bank grants.

Developing community ownership of the education programs, through community involvement and participation, is helping to protect and expand the education opportunities. Wajdi is quick to point out, for example, that “the community gives land to the school, the community constructs the school and teachers and students are drawn from the community – these are the elements for strong community attachment and ownership in the Afghan context.”

Work is underway to replicate this model in the southern provinces.

Girls are often are drafted to care for their younger siblings rather than attending school.

Advocacy with community and religious leaders and social mobilization activities are all being utilized to overcome cultural reluctance to send girls to school.

A critical issue though remains that of poverty.

“Normally in rural areas, mothers are dependent on their daughters, from about the age of six onwards, to help look after their siblings and for the household chores,” Wajdi says.

Other incentives are being used, such as supplying extra cooking oil and wheat to female students through WFP’s school feeding program.

Overall, Wajdi says “There is now a real positive change in the attitudes of parents towards educating their daughters. It is now possible for women to go to university and become doctors and families now understand the value of educating all their children.”