KABUL (TOLONews): The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund said in a report that 60 percent of girls and 46 percent of boys of primary school age are currently not getting any level of education in Afghanistan.
UNICEF said that Japan has provided $10 million to support the “continuity of children’s learning amidst a learning crisis in Afghanistan.”
With this contribution, UNICEF said, “71,500 children are expected to continue their education.”
“The Islamic Emirate should have a proper solution so that the international community also makes efforts in the fields of education and higher education, so that it can bring a beneficial result,” said Janat Fahim Chakari, a political analyst.
According to UNICEF, this contribution from the Government of Japan will allow UNICEF to:
- Improve learning environments for 55,000 children in public hub schools by constructing and rehabilitating classrooms, or build handwashing facilities and toilets, based on the needs of specific schools.
- Ensure 16,500 children can continue their education for another two years at the community level.
- Provide in-service training for 990 female and male teachers, school heads and academic supervisors in public schools.
Meanwhile, some of the girl students called on the leader of the Islamic Emirate to allow them access to education.
“Let the girls who are at home today and cannot go to the school, return to their schools,” said Hussna Rahimi, a student.
“Let’s not take away the rights of reading and writing of females because they are girls or women. There is no right to deprive them of their education,” said Zainab Shirzad, a student.
The Japanese ambassador in Kabul, Takashi Okada, met with acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and “explained the international efforts to assist the people of Afghanistan,” Japan’s embassy in Kabul said on Twitter. “He underlined the importance of better governance, including girls’ education and employment for women, and of mutual confidence building between Afghanistan and the international community,” the embassy said.
