Sunday, March 24, 2013
Kabul (BNA) Ringing the school bell, by Hamid Karzai the president of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, millions of students rushed to the schools and the new educational year started with over joy.
BNA commentator analyzing the education situation in the country writes:
Yesterday March 23, 2013 the new educational year started in cold regions of the country.
The new educational has begun with greater expectation of people while the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan enjoys of achieving great successes in education sector. Today 9 million and 300,000 students are going to school, 40% of them are girls; while 11 years ago during the rule of Taliban the figure was very low and the girls had no the right of education.
Today, there are 15,000 schools in the country, while 11 years ago the majority of schools had no building and the students, were taught in open air. Unfortunately, this problem still exists but in lower level. It is of great importance that the ministry of education succeeded to prepare a single curriculum for schools all over the country. Serious attention was paid for printing textbooks and the problem of shortage of textbooks in schools solved forever. Today the students chanting the slogan of education for all, ensuring lasting peace and development go to schools. This is an inspiring prospect for the suffering and needy Afghan nation, so there is a great need to work to fulfill the expectations of people in education sector which are imperative for over all development of the country.
It should be mentioned that in spite of all achievements mentioned earlier still education sector is suffering from serious challenges. This is still more than 3 million school age children are deprived of going school and more than 400 schools located in insecure areas are closed and still a great number of schools even in the capital have no building and due to overcrowded classrooms, the students could not be taught according to education criteria. The life of teachers has not improved, the illiteracy rate is high and the quality of training in schools and higher education institutes of the country in comparison to the countries of the region is in lower level. The curriculum in private schools and high education institutes is not practiced properly and a great number of families criticize the methods of teaching and complain of violations and abuses in those schools and institutes.
The Afghan people who give great importance to education and culture and their literary and cultural background are unique among the countries of the region, appreciate the achievements of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in education sector and expect the relevant authorities do their best for settling the problems mentioned above. The development of education system in the country needs more efforts and reforms, therefore for meeting the expectations on education sector an extensive program and attracting the aids of people and friendly countries are required and involvement of people in the process of education development across the country is imperative.
Written By: Khalil Minawi BNA Director
