The Unreached: Afghanistan's Children Without Access To Education

Afghanistan's education system has been devastated by over three decades of sustained conflict. An estimated 3.7 million children are out of school in Afghanistan, 60% of whom are girls. This means that there is a 40% chance that a child living in Afghanistan is not in school. In some parts of the country, a shortage of schools and insufficient transportation are the main obstacles to education. Geographical barriers, especially in mountainous areas, also make it hard for children to reach the classroom.

The socio-political and humanitarian crises that Afghanistan faces critically affect a fragile education system. Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and landslides exacerbate the situation for all children. These factors raise parental concerns about safety and can prevent them from sending their children to school.

In addition, harmful gender norms mean that, in many families, boys' education is prioritised over girls,', or girls' education is seen as wholly undesirable or acceptable only for a few years before puberty. In a country where a third of girls marry before the age of 18, child marriage forces many girls out of education.

Lack of schools and teachers

Afghanistan's education system has been devastated by over three decades of conflict. The country's schools and teachers are in short supply, and many children are unable to attend school as a result.

Lack of Schools

In 2021, Afghanistan had 20,000 official schools, 9,000 of which were deemed unusable, 5,000 had no buildings, and the remaining 4,000 needed rehabilitation. In 2020, the World Bank reported that nearly half of Afghanistan's 18,000 schools lacked proper buildings. In 2017, 41% of schools had no buildings, and many lacked boundary walls, water, and toilets.

Lack of Teachers

Afghanistan had 220,000 teachers in 2021. However, many teachers are unqualified, especially in rural areas. In 2013, 80% of the country's 165,000 teachers had achieved the equivalent of a high school education or did not complete their post-secondary studies. In 2012, 80% of the country's teachers had only a high school education or less. In 2010, only 4.7% of teachers held a PhD.

The lack of female teachers is a particular problem. In 2021, only 31% of teachers were women. In 2017, 7 out of 34 provinces had less than 10% female teachers, and in 17 provinces, less than 20% of teachers were women. In 2007, about a quarter of Afghan teachers were women.

Impact

An estimated 3.7 million Afghan children do not attend school, 60% of whom are girls. In 2016, 40% of Afghan children were not in school. In 2013, 3.5 million children were out of school, 75% of whom were girls. In 2010, 3.2 million children were out of school. In 2006, 5 million children were prevented from attending school due to violence.

Insecurity and violence

The climate of insecurity and violence in Afghanistan affects all aspects of life, including the ability to work, access healthcare, and attend school. The situation is especially dangerous for women and girls, who have historically faced significant barriers to receiving an education, particularly under the Taliban. In southern and southeastern Afghanistan, a surge in suicide bombings and targeted attacks on teachers and schools has directly impacted educational institutions, causing closures and disrupting the education of thousands of children.

The cumulative impact of attacks and closures has led to schools being shut down once again in many districts, particularly in the south and southeast. In some districts, no schools are operating at all. Even when schools remain open, students, especially girls, may stop attending after a threat or attack, as parents and students assess the risks and decide whether to continue their education based on the general climate of insecurity. Girls' enrolment in schools is particularly affected by insecurity and traditional societal norms regarding their role in society.

The lack of security has also impeded accurate reporting and monitoring of the impact of violence on education. The Afghan government and international community have been reluctant to acknowledge the full extent of the problem, as the resuscitation of the educational system after the Taliban's fall is considered a significant success. There is pressure to present a positive image of advances in education, and reporting attacks and school closures may lead to a reduction in much-needed funding from donors.

The exact number of children impacted by school closures and insecurity in Afghanistan is difficult to determine due to limited data and monitoring. However, various sources and reports estimate that between 3.5 and 3.7 million Afghan children are out of school, with girls constituting a disproportionate number, at about 60%. This equates to approximately 40% of all school-age children in Afghanistan not receiving an education, despite it being a constitutional right.

Child marriage and child labour

Child marriage is a pressing issue in Afghanistan, with up to 57% of girls being married before they turn 19. The most common ages for girls to get married are 15 and 16. Child marriage is driven by gender inequality, cultural and traditional perceptions, poverty, religious laws, and social norms.

The practice of child marriage has been linked to detrimental consequences for girls, such as the inability to obtain an education and skills to work independently. Girls may also suffer physical harm, as their bodies are often not developed for childbirth, resulting in emotional, mental, and physical trauma for both the girl and her child.

Child marriage is illegal but widespread in Afghanistan. One-third of Afghan girls marry before their 18th birthday. Marrying girls under 18 years old is rooted in gender discrimination, encouraging premature childbearing, and giving preference to boys' education. Child marriage is also a strategy for economic survival as families marry off their daughters to reduce their economic burden.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the vulnerability of children, particularly adolescent girls, which has led to an increase in financial difficulties. The suspension of international aid after the Taliban takeover in 2021 has also significantly impacted victims' access to rehabilitation services.

Afghanistan has laws and regulations related to child marriage. However, gaps exist in Afghanistan’s legal framework to adequately protect children from the worst forms of child labour, including the lack of criminal prohibitions against the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

Lack of access to schools in rural areas

Afghanistan's education system has been devastated by over three decades of sustained conflict. The system that existed in the 1970s has been crippled by war, and the Taliban's rule from 1996 to 2001—with its predominant opposition to the education of women and girls—has significantly impacted gender equality in education.

In rural areas, educational institutions are often scarce, and even when schools are accessible, children may have to walk long distances to attend. This can have a greater impact on girls due to safety concerns, adding to gender disparities. In the rural province of Ghor, for example, only 29% of the population lives within five kilometres of a primary school. The proximity of schools has been shown to have a significant impact on children's academic participation and performance, with shorter distances potentially reducing gender disparities in rural areas.

The lack of access to schools in rural areas of Afghanistan is a pressing issue. An estimated 3.7 million children are out of school in the country, with 60% of them being girls. In 2016, UNICEF estimated that 40% of all school-age children in Afghanistan did not attend school, with 66% of girls aged 12 to 15 out of school compared to 40% of boys in the same age group. More recent data from the Afghan government suggests that 39% of enrolled students are girls, while 85% of children out of school are girls.

The underlying reasons for low girls' enrolment include insecurity and traditional norms and practices related to the role of women and girls in society. Additionally, the quality of education in Afghanistan is a concern. Children who are enrolled in schools may not be receiving a quality education due to a lack of skilled and knowledgeable teachers. Furthermore, more than 5,000 schools in Afghanistan lack usable buildings, boundary walls, safe drinking water, or sanitation facilities, impacting the ability of children in rural areas to access schools.

Lack of female teachers

Afghanistan has the highest level of gender disparity in the world, with 71 girls in school for every 100 boys. In half of the country's provinces, fewer than 20% of teachers are female. This is a major barrier for the many girls whose families will not accept their being taught by a man, especially as they become adolescents.

The lack of female teachers is due to the lack of girls' education until recent times, which means very few women are qualified to become teachers. In addition, women face cultural barriers in seeking work in areas where they are not chaperoned by family members.

The Afghan government has committed to increasing the number of female teachers by 50% by the end of 2023 under an interim education plan that includes monetary and housing incentives for female teachers, as well as special teacher training programmes for women in remote areas and women who do not meet current qualification requirements.

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