Afghanistan Country Study 2018
Country study on out-of-school children
Highlights
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has achieved enormous progress in the education sector since 2001. Educational access in terms of infrastructure and enrolment – in particular that of girls – has improved dramatically. However, this significant report estimates that as many as 3.2 million children in Afghanistan remain out of school, accounting for over 40 per cent of children in primary and lower secondary school age. Girls at all ages are less likely to attend school than boys. In addition, a further 300,000 children who currently access primary and lower secondary school are at risk of dropping out. We cannot achieve our Government’s ambitious plan for long-term prosperity in Afghanistan without continuing to prioritize programming that brings out-of-school children (OOSC) into the education system.
This report represents a major step forward for stakeholders concerned with education provision in Afghanistan. The report establishes a baseline of the number and profiles of OOSC, outlines factors that contribute to unsatisfactory enrolment rates, and recommends practical policy options for overcoming barriers to education in Afghanistan. By better understanding our OOSC, the Ministry of Education (MoE) and its partners can better plan to achieve universal access to educational opportunities.
