Afghanistan's Education System: A Nation Forging a Future Amidst Challenges

Afghanistan's education system has experienced dramatic shifts throughout its modern history, with the current crisis representing one of the most severe regressions in educational rights globally. Despite these challenges, there are reasons for cautious hope. The international community faces a complex challenge in supporting education in Afghanistan without normalizing or accepting policies that violate fundamental rights.

Historical Overview and Transformations

Afghanistan's education system has undergone dramatic transformations over decades of political upheaval, conflict, and changing regimes. From periods of modernization to extreme restriction, the policies governing education have profoundly impacted generations of Afghan citizens.

Afghanistan’s modern education system began taking shape in the 1920s under King Amanullah Khan, who initiated the country’s first significant educational reforms. During this period, the government established the first secondary schools for girls and sent students abroad for higher education. By the 1970s, Afghanistan had developed a relatively progressive education system with increasing enrollment rates for both boys and girls, particularly in urban areas.

The Soviet invasion in 1979 brought significant changes, with education policy becoming heavily influenced by Soviet models and ideology. With the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan came perhaps the most ambitious attempt to standardize the country's educational system.

The Taliban’s rise to power in 1996 marked a devastating reversal in education policy. Under their strict interpretation of Islamic law, girls were banned from attending school, and women were prohibited from teaching. Boys’ education was limited to religious studies, with secular subjects largely eliminated from curricula. The Taliban dismantled education just as quickly as the Soviets had built it.

Read also: Funding for Afghan Students

Following the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001, Afghanistan embarked on an ambitious education reconstruction effort with substantial international support. The new constitution of 2004 guaranteed the right to education for all citizens and mandated free education through the bachelor’s level.

During this period, Afghanistan developed several key policy frameworks to guide educational development. The National Education Strategic Plan (NESP) established priorities for expanding access, improving quality, and strengthening institutional capacity. International donors played a crucial role in supporting these policies through programs like the Education Quality Improvement Program (EQUIP) and the Girls’ Education Challenge. The Karzai administration received substantial international aid to restore the education system.

Progress and Challenges (2001-2021)

Education improved in Afghanistan after the Taliban government was deposed in 2001. Girls’ education began to flourish between the fall of the Taliban and 2021.

In 2013, 8.2 million Afghans attended school, including 3.2 million girls. This compared to only 1.2 million Afghans attending school in 2001, with fewer than 50,000 being girls. 39% of girls were attending school in 2017 compared to 6% in 2003. 40% of Afghan girls attended secondary school in 2018 versus only 6% in 2003.

Between 2001 and 2016, primary school enrollment rose from around 1 million to 9.2 million (a nine-fold increase in fifteen years) and the proportion of girls from virtually zero to 37%. In 2020, overall education enrollment had improved significantly, with 10 million children receiving an education versus only 1 million in 2001. Approximately 40% of these 10 million children were girls. The creation of more schools and the hiring of more teachers also made this increase possible. Between 2003 and 2011, over 5,000 school buildings were rehabilitated or newly constructed.

In 2021, a third of students at university were women. In 2020, there were 429,790 students enrolled in universities, both public and private, with 71.01% being men and 28.99% being women.

Despite these achievements, there were still significant obstacles to education in Afghanistan, many of which stem from a lack of funding. The obstacles to education were even more numerous for Afghan girls. However, there was still much progress to be made given that “before the Taliban seized control of the country, Afghanistan had one of the biggest gender gaps in education levels in the world.” The three main barriers to education access are culture, resources, and security.

Despite two decades of progress following the first Taliban rule, Afghanistan’s education indicators remained among the lowest globally even before the 2021 takeover. The youth literacy rate in Afghanistan stands at approximately 47%, significantly lower than regional averages. Gender disparities are stark, with literacy rates of about 62% for young men compared to only 30% for young women.

Current Education System Structure

Currently, education in Afghanistan is overseen by the Ministry of Education as well as the Ministry of Higher Education.

Primary Education

Primary education is of key importance to the Afghan government. As of 2003, an estimated 4.5 million children of primary school age, approximately 900,000 boys and 90,000 girls are in primary school. Only 43 percent of Afghan children complete primary school. Primary school begins at age seven and continues for six years. There are many types of education at the primary level including community, government, home-based, and religious schools, as well as schools administered by non-governmental organizations. Education is compulsory and free for all students. Radio instruction is widely used for children and adults.

Secondary Education

5 to 11 percent of the population comprises secondary school-aged children. In 1993, only 3 percent of the students enrolled in grade one graduated from grade 12. Secondary education culminates at grade 12. Secondary education is split into two three-year cycles. Secondary schooling begins with middle secondary, which is three years in length, and students begin this level of education at age 13 and complete it at age 16. Upper Secondary school begins at age 17 and is completed at age 19. The diploma awarded at this stage is the Baccaluria.

Vocational Education

Vocational Education was once a popular option among Afghan students and still exists today in schools known as Technicums. The students must complete a minimum of grade 8 and are between ages 14 to 16. The training typically covers specific areas in a “real world” environment such as banking, finance and telecommunications. Upon completion, students receive a Vocational Baccaluria.

Post-Secondary Education

The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) governs higher education. There are 68 institutions of higher education. Classes are held from March to January. The languages of instruction are Pashto / Pushto, Persian and sometimes English.

The first degree awarded is a bachelor's degree. Most bachelor's degrees are four years in length. Engineering and Veterinary Medicine programs are five years in length. Programs in Medicine are seven years in length.

Upon completion of the bachelor's degree program, a student may study an additional two years to earn a master's degree. Doctorate degrees are offered in certain select fields such as architecture, arts, engineering, natural sciences and social sciences. All doctoral programs follow the masters degree and are three years in length.

Teacher Training

Teacher Training Colleges offer two-year programs. The greatest need currently is to train primary school teachers, although teachers are needed at all levels. Primary school teachers receive their training at the upper secondary level of education. Middle secondary school teachers must complete a two-year program at a Teacher Training College. This two-year program begins after the completion of secondary school. Secondary school teachers must follow a four-year program after secondary school and must be accepted to the final two years of this course.

The Taliban Takeover and its Impact on Education

The Taliban 2.0 takeover officially began on August 15th, 2021, while American troops were being entirely withdrawn, and the Taliban-dubbed Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was rebirthed. Early that morning in the capital, Kabul, shop owners removed their posters and advertisements of women, an action taken to protect themselves and their businesses, ingrained in their “muscle memory” from two decades before. Afghan civilians prepared themselves for the erasure of women yet again.

The Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 has resulted in a severe regression in education policy, particularly for girls and women. Girls’ education dwindled once more, with approximately 80% of girls and women of school age, or 2.5 million, currently barred from school. 30% of girls have never been enrolled in primary school in Afghanistan.

On 20 December 2022, the Taliban banned women from attending universities in Afghanistan, sparking protests and international condemnation. This decision followed the exclusion of girls from secondary schools since the Taliban came to power the previous year. When university students arrived on campus on December 20th, 2022, ready for class, “male students were ushered inside while women were told, at gunpoint, that they could no longer attend.” This exclusionary policy has had devastating effects on women who have fought for their right to education and grown up under the Taliban’s oppressive regime. Students protested this ban, but their peaceful pleas were met with state violence, including “water cannons, beatings and arrests” by the Taliban police force. Moreover, “places of higher education are now militarised: Armed Taliban officers constantly check classes, educational materials, girls and women’s compliance with the dress code.” No person should have to fear for their safety in schools. These girls are too young to be facing this injustice and shouldn’t have to be protesting for their rights to education and equality.

The international community condemned the move.

The Taliban’s education policies are not uniformly implemented across Afghanistan, with some regional variations. In certain provinces, local Taliban officials have permitted girls’ secondary schools to operate, while in others, restrictions are strictly enforced. The Ministry of Education under Taliban control has also made significant changes to the curriculum, removing subjects deemed un-Islamic and emphasizing religious education.

Amid Afghanistan's significant humanitarian crisis, the Taliban continue to ban secondary education for girls in most provinces across the country.

Legal Framework and International Obligations

The Afghan Constitution, penned in 2004, commits to education. Articles 43 and 44 declare that: “Education is the right of all citizens of Afghanistan, which shall be offered up to the B.A. level in the state educational institutes free of charge by the state… The state shall devise and implement effective programs to create and foster balanced education for women.” It also implemented a quota system in Parliament to ensure women are represented in government.

Under international law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), guarantees the right to an education in Article 26, stating: “Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit”.

Additionally, Afghanistan is a signatory party to the Convention on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEDAW). Therefore, the Taliban is clearly continuing to violate both domestic and international law by denying girls the right to progress past primary school.

Alternative Education Initiatives

The international community has responded to Afghanistan’s education crisis through various channels, balancing humanitarian support with concerns about legitimizing Taliban rule.

Local communities establish informal schools in homes or community spaces, often with support from international NGOs. Secret schools operating despite the ban have emerged in some areas, with teachers risking their safety to provide education to girls. Organizations have developed radio, television, and digital learning programs to reach students at home.

International organizations continue to advocate for education rights while providing humanitarian support. UNESCO has developed the Afghanistan Education Sector Support Plan (AESSP) 2024-25 to respond to both immediate and medium-term education needs. However, international donors face difficult decisions regarding how to support education without directly funding or legitimizing Taliban governance structures.

The Role of Private Education

Non-state provision of education includes private schools which require parents and guardians to pay a tuition, private religious schools which have no fees, and community- or home-based schools. Schools can be provided by private actors, national and international non-profit organisations or non-governmental organisations, or religious institutions.

The Education Law (2008) refers to the role of national and foreign natural and legal persons in establishing education institutions in Afghanistan. The most recent National Education Strategic Plan (2017-21) refers to the role the private sector, communities and civil society can play in partnership with the government to strengthen the education system.

Regulations for Private Schools

Private schools must have a curriculum and education plan that is in accordance with the MoE curriculum (PEIR, Art. 8). Private schools must also teach Pashto and Dari. Teachers working in non-state schools must have an academic degree higher than 12th grade as mentioned in the establishment criteria.

Corporal punishment is prohibited in schools under the Education Act (2008, Art. 39) although evidence suggests it exists.

At the end of primary education and of upper secondary education, students must pass specific examinations. In Afghanistan, tertiary education includes 39 public universities and 128 private higher education institutions.

Challenges and Future Directions

Despite these challenges, there are reasons for cautious hope. Experts suggest targeted engagement focusing specifically on education rather than broader political recognition. The international community faces a complex challenge in supporting education in Afghanistan without normalizing or accepting policies that violate fundamental rights.

The future of education policy in Afghanistan depends largely on several factors, including internal Taliban policy evolution, international engagement approaches, and the resilience of alternative education systems. As Afghanistan navigates this difficult period, education policy will remain a critical indicator of the country’s direction and the wellbeing of its citizens.

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