Call for enrolment of girl students

KABUL: The Afghan education sector has made considerable headway over the last few years, but greater efforts are needed to ensure that girls - 35 percent of enrolled children - are not deprived of education.

Despite an overall increase in numbers of enrolled children, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) said, the percentage of female students was not on the rise.

CARE Afghanistan said only 28 percent of Afghan teachers were female - most of them located primarily in urban areas. This inhibits girls participation in education, as parents are reluctant to have teenage girls being taught by a male teacher.

Likewise, parents are hesitant to send their girls to schools if they are far from their homes. As part of the Global Campaign for Education, this week the world celebrates Global Action Week under the theme Quality Education for All: End Exclusion Now. Afghan students will participate in a world record attempt together with millions of other children around the globe.

Everybody taking the same lesson at the same time about the importance of quality education and the negative impact exclusion has on peoples lives. Children with disabilities, sensory impaired, ethnic minorities, those living in remote areas and even girls are missing out throughout the world.

In a press release, CARE Afghanistan said free and quality education for all was a principle of the Afghan constitution but a shortage of female teachers, cultural aspects, and widespread practices of boys-only schools were some of the factors keeping girls out of school. However, the challenges to girls education can be overcome while respecting cultural principles believed Jamie Terzi, assistant country director of CARE.

In partnership with International Rescue Committee (IRC), Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS), CARE is currently providing community-based education to 45,000 children in remote areas in 17 provinces where there are no formal schools. Two-thirds of the students in CARE-run schools are girls. One way to increase female enrolment is to discuss the importance of education under Islam with girls parents, Jamie Terzi argued. Simple steps such as discussions with village shuras, mullahs, and parents can lead to changes in the name of a school, include a wall or an alternate schedule for boys and girls, the Terzi continued.

Girls and boys can in this way go to the same school but still be taught separately in accordance with cultural practices. She concluded: We encourage the government of Afghanistan and its donors to implement more cost-effective measures to overcome obstacles to girls education in order to ensure that all Afghan children get the education promised by their constitution.