A New Start for Afghanistan's Education Sector

A New Start for

Afghanistan’s Education Sector

Asian Development Bank

South Asia DepartmentApril 2003

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Contents

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................1Current Situation in the Education Sector ...........................................................................1

Overview...............................................................................................................1Supply of Education ...............................................................................................1Demand for Education ...........................................................................................2Strategy and Priorities .............................................................................................3

SUBSECTOR PERSPECTIVES .................................................................................7Primary Education ...........................................................................................................7

Indicators ...............................................................................................................7Institutional and Physical Infrastructure....................................................................7Human Resources ..................................................................................................8Priorities and Sequencing ........................................................................................8

Secondary Education ........................................................................................................9Indicators ...............................................................................................................9Institutional and Physical Infrastructure..................................................................10Human Resources ................................................................................................11Policy Environment . ............................................................................................11Priorities and Sequencing ......................................................................................11

Tertiary Education ..........................................................................................................12Current Situation ..................................................................................................12Indicators .............................................................................................................12Infrastructure .......................................................................................................13Human Resources ................................................................................................13Policy and Institutional Environment .....................................................................13Crosscutting Issues ...............................................................................................14Priorities and Sequencing ......................................................................................14

Youth/Adult/Vocational and Technical Education ..............................................................15Current Situation in the Sector ...............................................................................15Indicators .............................................................................................................15Institutional and Physical Infrastructure..................................................................15Human Resources ................................................................................................16Priorities and Sequencing ......................................................................................16

Teacher Education and Training ......................................................................................17Early Childhood Education .............................................................................................17

Current Situation ..................................................................................................18Indicators: Threats to Early Childhood Development ............................................. 18Institutional and Policy Environment .................................................................... 18Human Resources ................................................................................................18Crosscutting Issues ...............................................................................................19Strategy and Priorities ...........................................................................................19

A DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK FOR THE SECTOR . ...............................21Policy Framework ...........................................................................................................21Institutional Framework and Capacity Building ................................................................24

Overview.............................................................................................................24Organization of the Ministry of Education .............................................................24Human Resources ................................................................................................25Assessment of Present MOE Capacity ...................................................................25Assessment of Provincial Education Office Capacity ................................................26Priorities, Sequencing, and Strategy ........................................................................26

WORKPLAN FOR SECTOR PLANNING AND CAPACITY BUILDING ........29INVESTMENT PLAN..............................................................................................31Recurrent Costs ............................................................................................................. 31

Remuneration ......................................................................................................31Recurrent Budget Scenarios ..................................................................................32

Quick-Impact Project Proposals ......................................................................................33INTERIM COORDINATION MECHANISM FOREXTERNAL FUNDING AGENCIES ....................................................................35Appendix: QUICK IMPACT PROJECTS: PROJECT PROFILES .........................37TABLESTable 1: Institution of Higher Education..........................................................................13Table 2: Technical and Vocational Education Indicator.......................................................15Table 3: Technical and Vocational Schools and Institutes ....................................................16Table 4: Approved Ministry of Education Personnel Chart for 2002 ..................................25Table 5: Average Monthly Remuneration Scale ................................................................31Table 6: Distribution of Education Staff Across Personnel Grades ......................................32Table 7: Impact of Increased Staffing and Salary Levels .....................................................32

Abbreviations

ADB Asian Development BankAACA Afghanistan Assistance Coordination AuthorityCNA Comprehensive needs assessmentDEO District education officeGDP Gross domestic productGER Gross enrollment rateGNP Gross national productECD Early childhood developmentEMIS Education Management Information SystemERS Education resource surveyMOE Ministry of EducationMOHE Ministry of Higher EducationNGO Nongovernment organizationNITVE National Institute for Technical and Vocational EducationNPTVE National Program for Technical and Vocational EducationPEO Provincial education officePNA Preliminary needs assessmentQIP Quick impact projectTA Technical assistanceUNESCO United Nations Economc, Scientific and Cultural OrganizationUNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesUNICEF United Nations Children’s FundUSAID United States Agency for International Development

Currency Equivalents(as of 30 April 2003)

Currency Unit - Afghani (Af)Af1.0 = $0.0192

$1.0 = Af 52

NOTE: In this report, “$” refers to US dollars.

Foreword

A revitalized education system can contribute significantly to resolving many of Afghanistan’s daunting problems.Education is a key ingredient in rebuilding Afghanistan, igniting progress in all other development sectors.Education will build the human and social capital needed for economic development as well as serving as a key

vehicle for promoting peace, stability, and social cohesion. In short, it will help develop a sense of nationhood.In December 2001, a team composed of representatives of several external funding agencies completed the Preliminary

Needs Assessment (PNA) for Recovery and Reconstruction of Afghanistan; it was presented at the Ministerial Meetingheld in January 2002 in Tokyo as a framework for donor pledges of assistance. The next stage, the Comprehensive NeedsAssessment (CNA), was prepared in February–April 2002 to provide an in-depth assessment of the education sector,identify critical priorities and sequencing for recovery, and come up with quick, high-impact projects that could beimplemented immediately.

The CNA Mission team of external funding agency representatives was jointly led by the Asian Development Bank(ADB) and the Afghanistan Assistance Coordination Authority (AACA) and consisted of education specialists fromADB, the World Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the European Community, the US Agency for InternationalDevelopment, and the United Nations group represented by the United Nations Children’s Fund and the UnitedNations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization from 24 February to 17 March 2002.

The CNA Mission had to cope with a dearth of adequate statistics about the education sector resulting from theyears of destruction and turmoil, and worked with an interim Government that was struggling with the same informationinadequacies and was still in the course of developing policies and a strategy for educational recovery and reconstruction.Critical budget parameters had yet to be finalized, including the number of teachers and their salary levels. Therefore, theanalysis in this report is based on the best available statistics, with expert projections and estimates contributed by Afghaneducators, whose experience and insights were invaluable.

The CNA Mission developed an analytical framework for the education sector, updated the PNA analysis, developedbudget and program projections for the next 2 fiscal years, and identified and prioritized quick, high-impact projects. Inlight of the evolving situation and data, the mission focused on the immediate priorities over the next 2 fiscal years, andprepared a work and investment plan for a medium-term strategy.

The CNA made a valuable contribution to the preparation and coordination of development interventions in theeducation sector. It is recognized that, since the CNA, Afghanistan’s analysis and development efforts have evolvedthrough further dialogue between the Government and the development community.

YOSHIHIRO IWASAKI

Director GeneralSouth Asia Department

1

INTRODUCTIONCHAPTER I

Current Situation in theEducation Sector

Overview

The Afghan education system has been underminedby 23 years of war, by widespread physicaldestruction, by restructuring under a communist

regime, and by its use as a political and religious pawn bysucceeding governments. The concept of secular educa-tion has been under constant attack for decades—first as asource of foreign ideas that led to the communist takeover,and then by the Taliban, who banned education for girlsentirely, and promoted and expanded the system of reli-gious schools at the expense of secular schools. As theschool year started in March 2002, the capacity to supplyeducation had been decimated in both quantity and qual-ity, even as the demand for education was expanding inboth quantity and complexity.

The CNA focuses on the harsh realities and chal-lenges facing education in Afghanistan. While these chal-lenges are daunting, it is important to acknowledge thepositive aspects of the current situation. There is an atmo-sphere of excitement, expectation, and determination inschools throughout the country. Despite an almost totallack of resources and teacher salary arrears of more than 6months, thousands of Afghan teachers and students areregistering for classes. Students and teachers congregatedin schools weeks before they opened, helping with repairsand feeding on the excitement of being able to resurrectthem. Parents are eager to return their children to school.This commitment to education will be an important forcefor rebuilding the system. The Afghan people’s commit-ment to education, and to the new Government, could fal-

ter if they perceive that the education system is of suchpoor quality that children are better off outside of school.

Supply of Education

By any measure, the education system in Afghanistan hascollapsed. The most informed estimates (based on a UnitedNations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization[UNESCO] Education for All 2000 report) indicate thatAfghanistan’s education indicators are among the worst in theworld; girls and rural populations are especially disadvantaged.The gross enrollment rate (GER) estimate in the PNA of38% for boys’ primary education and 3% for girls’ seems high,given that the highest GER achieved in 1980, before the wars,was only 54% for boys and 12% for girls. In the followingyears, the GER for boys plummeted, while the GER for girlsgradually increased under the communist government to anestimated high of 35% in 1995. In secondary education, theestimated current GER for boys is 5–11% and for girls as lowas 1–2%. Indeed, the numbers of children in school declineddramatically in the 1990s because of the civil war, the destruc-tion of education infrastructure, and the hostility of the Talibanto secular education—particularly the education of girls andfemale teachers.

An estimated 80% of school buildings at all levels havebeen damaged or destroyed, as well as all but two teacher-training colleges, which are still partially functioning. Mostof the vocational-technical facilities have been damagedor destroyed. A large number of qualified teachers fled thecountry, took jobs outside of education, worked in refugeecamps, or have been killed. The curriculum has not beenrevised for 30 years, and virtually no modern educationalpractices have been introduced for decades. Regional edu-cation authorities have operated autonomously for years inthe absence of a central authority. Most teachers and ad-ministrators have not been paid for more than 6 months,

Introduction

A New Start for Afghanistan’s Education Sector2

and salary levels are set well below a living wage. In sum-mary, the education system has very limited capacity to sup-ply basic inputs: buildings, teachers, materials, andtextbooks. In fact, virtually no “system” exists, even at thelevel of basic operations, policies, or procedures.

The relatively few Afghan children who are being edu-cated are scattered among a range of different providers.An estimated 400,000 children, one third of all the Afghanchildren in primary school, attend schools operated by non-government organizations (NGOs), and about 170,000refugee children are enrolled in United Nations HighCommissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)-supported campsin Pakistan. An unknown number attend regular schools inIran, madrasas (religious schools), home schools, and otheralternative venues.

For the 2002 school year, beginning in March 2002,the Back to School campaign supported by the UnitedNations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) was to distribute anestimated 4,500 school kits, 21,000 teacher kits, and 1.5million student packets for primary schools. Approximately100,000 copies of primary and secondary school textbooksfor all subjects are being provided by the United StatesAgency for International Development (USAID). (Theexact numbers of schools, teachers, and students will not beknown for several months after classes start.) Even withthis substantial assistance from external funding agencies,the existing supply of educational space and resources isonly adequate to serve the needs of perhaps one quarter ofschool-age children.

Demand forEducation

Despite the education systemhaving been destroyed, demandfor education is surging. For ex-ample, an estimate of primaryschool-age children is 4.5 mil-lion; however, it is difficult toestimate the primary school-agepopulation accurately in thepresent circumstances. The highunmet demand for education af-ter Taliban rule is seen in thethrongs of parents and childrenseeking to register for school,sometimes at schools that arelittle more than rubble. Thegirls’ schools that opened for in-

formal winter sessions in all parts of the country after thedefeat of the Taliban are overflowing, even in heavily tra-ditional Pushtun areas like Griskh in Helmand Province,where 500 girls showed up the first day. At Kabul Univer-sity, more than 18,000 students took the admissions ex-amination at the beginning of 2002.

Complicating the estimation of the school-age popu-lation is the difficulty of determining the exact geographi-cal location of the demand. School-age populations are influx: an estimated 3.5 million refugees are in Iran andPakistan and more than 1 million are internally displacedwithin Afghanistan. It is difficult to predict how many ofthe refugees will return to Afghanistan, and whether theyand the internally displaced will return to their places oforigin. UNHCR estimates that 1.2 million people willreturn each year for the next 2 years, some to their originalhomes, but many to the cities. Some of these displacedchildren have attended schools run by NGOs, some haveattended government schools in Iran, and some have hadno schooling. Returning families whose children havestarted education will want them to continue, and manyothers will want a fresh opportunity for their children.Clearly, the actual numbers of students registering overthe next 2 years in any given locality could easily vary bytens of thousands.

While the challenge of meeting the demand by tradi-tional school-age students is huge, these children repre-sent only a part of the complex educational equation. Thelack of opportunities for education and the disruptioncaused by war, migration, and economic hardship have

Women are especially eager to resume their education; these women in Kabul are studying English.

3

created an entire generation with limited or disrupted edu-cation. The last age group of students who graduated fromhigh school in a year without war or civil strife is now over40 years old. The number of children, youths, and youngadults whose education was disrupted, or never begun, since1990 can be conservatively estimated at 8–9 million. Whilethe majority have had little or no education, perhaps 2million have started, but have not completed, primaryschool and secondary school. Some of them need and wantto complete their primary schooling, while others need tocomplete secondary school to be eligible for jobs. Somemay want to enter university or attend vocational trainingto obtain a job. The oldest of the post-1990 students arenow almost 30 years old and the youngest are still chil-dren. The number of people in their 30s whose educationwas interrupted by the jihad in the 1980s is comparablylarge. The range of educational needs of these groups isenormous.

Within these groups, there are further subdivisions ofchildren, youths, and adults with special circumstances andneeds. Integrating former soldiers into the economy andcivilian life through vocational and skills training is a highpriority for stabilizing the nation and sustaining peace.Demobilized child soldiers and youths are particularlydifficult to reintegrate into the formal schooling system.But without educational and job-training programs andemployment opportunities, former combatants are highlylikely to return to warlord armies—or turn to banditry.The potential numbers of this group are unknown, but anestimated 25,000–30,000 ex-child soldiers in Kandaharalone gives an indication of the potential scale of the prob-lem. Other hard-to-reach groups include war widows, or-phans, women and girls, children with disabilities (somecaused by the war), street children, nomadic groups, andmany others; the total number of affected people could bein the millions. All of them require educational servicestailored to their particular needs.

The challenge of expanding the education system tomeet the needs of the diverse unserved population is highlycomplex. To meet these needs, Afghans must greatly ex-pand the education infrastructure and seek innovative andcost-effective mechanisms for delivering a broad spectrumof formal and informal education services. In order toachieve an 85% net enrollment rate in primary educationwithin 10 years—using a very conservative estimate of aconstant, primary school-age population of 4.5 millionchildren—an additional 43,500 teachers will be needed,and an additional 13,851 schools will need to be constructed(assuming six classrooms in each school). On an annualbasis, this means recruiting and training 4,350 new teach-

ers each year and constructing 1,385 new schools. If a tra-ditional structure were to be used to meet the educationneeds of the “lost generation” of Afghans aged 12–30 whoseeducation was interrupted or never started, an additional40,000 teachers might be needed. This scale of educationalinfrastructure is comparable with what is found in coun-tries of similar population, but is far beyond anythingachieved, or attempted, in the history of Afghanistan.

The recurrent costs implied in such an expansion arelarge by any measure, and particularly relative to the rev-enue potential of a devastated economy. The budgetaryimpact will be even greater if teacher salaries are increasedto a living wage, which ultimately they must be if the sys-tem is to work. The civil service wage levels under consid-eration would put the total education recurrent budget at$80 million per year for existing staff levels, without al-lowing for the kind of expansion that will be necessary ifthe system is to achieve reasonable coverage. It is difficultto imagine an Afghan economy that could support suchexpenditures in the foreseeable future. New approaches toeducation must be found—both to meet the immediateneeds and to plan for the future.

Strategy and Priorities

The strategic and efficient use of scarce financial re-sources, including assistance from external funding agen-cies, will be critical to meeting the demands and challengesof the education sector. With the system almost completelydestroyed, virtually all investments merit high priority; asa result, hard decisions must be made about the allocationof resources. Discussions with the Government and theAfghan Ministry of Education (MOE) indicate that theguiding principles for initial investments should focus onthe following:· Mobilize rapidly to reinstate basic education, with a

goal of enrolling 1.5 million children in 2002 and atleast 2.0 million children by 2003. This would re-quire provision of classrooms, learning materials, andcapable teachers through rapid-training programs,rehabilitation of existing structures, and use of alter-native learning spaces. It would also require the ag-gressive use of multiple delivery channels andrebuilding the minimum capacity at central and pro-vincial levels to monitor and implement the program.

· Distribute assistance equitably, so that resources reachthe provinces, Kabul, and other urban areas.

· Meete the recurrent costs of the existing system, par-ticularly teacher salaries.

· Promote girls’ education to remedy past injustices.

Introduction


· Maintain an appropriate balance among the subsectorsbased on demand, supply, and the contribution to na-tional development.

· Link education and vocational training to practicalskills that lead to jobs.

· Build capacity for Afghan institutions so that depen-dency is not created.

· Contribute to rational and sustainable long-term de-velopment of the system.Parameters for determining immediate investment

priorities and sequencing include· funding availability (including donor and government

funding),· management and absorptive capacity of the subsector,· size of the student population served by each subsector,· number of students whose needs can feasibly be met in

a given period, and· efficiency criteria (cost per immediate beneficiary).Both funding and absorptive capacity are finite, as is theability of the system to supply key education services (e.g.,building schools or teaching 10th-grade science). Lack ofabsorptive capacity means that, even where the needs areimmense, it may not be possible to address them all atonce, even if funding were not an issue.

A balance must be maintained between immediateimpact and long-term planning. Emergency assistance thatdelivers services but detracts from long-term developmentis inefficient, whereas an emphasis on long-term planningthat fails to meet immediate critical needs is ultimatelyineffective, because it undermines the short-term stability

needed to achieve long-termgoals. An appropriate balance isneeded between the parallel tracksof immediate service delivery andplanning and development. Thepriority areas identified by theCNA Mission address both theseelements in proportion.

The investment strategy recom-mended by the CNA Mission re-flects an overall strategy of(i) supporting rapid expansion ofeducation services where demandis greatest through the flexible andefficient use of multiple deliverysystems (government, NGO, pri-vate sector) while (ii) building thecapacity of the sector institutions toplan for and implement the recon-struction of the system.

The CNA Mission recommends that long-term in-vestments in fixed capital that are policy dependent, suchas new physical facilities and curriculum or textbooks,should wait until strategic plans and policies are devel-oped. Short-term capital investments should be limited toareas in which there is an immediate need to provide ser-vices and for which there is little question as to the futurestructure for the subsector. For example, primary and sec-ondary school rehabilitation in populated areas is an im-mediate priority, as is rehabilitation and basic equipmentfor service providers (i.e., MOE and provincial offices).On the other hand, investment in long-term institutionssuch as government-owned school furniture factories,teacher-training colleges, or the full range of previous uni-versity colleges should await the relevant policy decisions,starting a year or two later.

The priorities recommended by the CNA Missionfor the next 2 years are as follows:· Direct support to basic education, including

primary and secondary schools:- A Back to School campaign to provide basic ma-

terials to schools, teachers, and students, includ-ing teaching and learning materials, textbooks,teacher guides, and other supplies;

- An advocacy campaign to encourage parents tosupport education and to send children, particu-larly girls, to school;

- Provision of adequate learning spaces, including therehabilitation and reconstruction of serviceableschools or provision of temporary shelters;

A makeshift school on the outskirts of Kabul; due to 23 years of wartime destruction, tents, homes, and theoutdoors serve as schoolrooms.

5

- Rapid in-service teachertraining and upgrading,and emphasis on educa-tion quality; and

- Development of gender-related materials andtraining.

· Institutional strengthen-ing for rational and effec-tive use of resources:- Rehabilitation of central

and provincial MOEoffices to establish mini-mum capacity for moni-toring and implement-ing back-to-school pro-grams;

- Immediate institutionalstrengthening and capac-ity building in selectedcritical operations ofMOE (reconstruction planning, administrationand personnel, and payroll administration; andcoordination with NGOs and external fundingagencies); and

- Leadership and management training in the cen-ter and in the provinces.

· Basic education and training for the out-of-school population and special groups:- Accelerated formal education programs with flex-

ible delivery modes to enable children and youth tocomplete equivalency certificates or to mainstreamback into the regular school system; and

- Job-related and life-skills training and employ-ment generation for diverse groups, includingwidows, youth, and ex-child soldiers to servethe immediate reconstruction needs of Afghani-stan.

· Strategic planning:- Completion of a comprehensive assessment of

education with improved information and par-ticipatory review of options;

- Completion of a strategic planning exercise in eachbasic education subsector and for overall system de-velopment, resulting in specific subsector develop-ment plans for funding in year 2 and beyond; and

- Completion of a strategic planning exercise forhigher education and preparation of a develop-ment plan.

· Foundation investments in other sectors:- Rehabilitation of core facilities in higher education

to enable the start-up of a limited university pro-gram, pending completion of a strategic plan; and

- Initiation of materials support and system planning/pilot programs for early childhood interventions.

A dilapidated school in Kabul; some 80% of Afghanistan’s school buildings are damaged or destroyed.

Introduction


7

Primary Education

Primary education is an area of intense focus by theGovernment, as well as the community of externalfunding agencies. This high level of interest is jus-

tified by its importance in the education cycle and the sizeof the problem, but also creates unique challenges for thecoordination and integration of assistance so as not to dis-tort, confuse, or overwhelm the Government.

Indicators

As spelled out in the previous section, the balancesheet on primary education in Afghanistan reveals someof the worst indicators in the world. Out of an estimated4.5 million children of primary school age, approximately900,000 boys and 90,000 girls are in primary school, agross enrollment rate of 38% for boys and 3% for girls,and a gender ratio of 10:1. While the 5-year Taliban pro-hibition of girls’ education is the cause of this gender im-balance, problems of gender inequity are also based oncultural patterns and antedated the Taliban.

In circumstances such as those prevailing in Afghani-stan, the net enrollment at the primary level is much lowerthan gross enrollments, due to the presence of over-age andunder-age children enrolled in school. The average gross in-take rate at the entry grade is estimated as 40.5% overall, andas low as 11% for girls. Only about 43 children completeprimary school for every 100 who enroll in first grade. Theaverage repetition rate is 7.5% for both boys and girls. Onaverage, it takes a boy 10 years and a girl 15 years to completethe primary cycle. These statistics are distorted by the condi-tions of the recent past, but improved data will become avail-able over the coming months.

A total of 170,000 children are enrolled in primaryschools in UNHCR-supported refugee camps in Paki-

stan, for whom there are 4,000 teachers, an average teacher-pupil ratio of 1:40. This figure excludes primary school-age children in madrassahs, home schools, andcommunity-based schools. UNHCR reports that children’sperformance in basic competencies is significantly higherin the camp schools than in regular schools in Afghanistan.An unknown number of children attend regular schools inIran, where the quality of education is relatively high. Thereare concerns within the present Afghan administrationabout a potential drop in the standard of performance ofreturning children as they enter newly reopened schools.Data on refugee children are being assembled by UNHCRto facilitate the children’s reintegration into Afghan schools.

Institutional and PhysicalInfrastructure

The school system consists of 6 years of primary edu-cation, serving children aged 7–13 years. There are sev-eral delivery channels for education, particularly at theprimary level, including government, community, home-based, and NGO schools. Mosque schools provide basicreligious and moral instruction for boys and some girls,and madrasahs provide organized religious teaching forboys and young men. Radio instruction has been exten-sively used for both children and adult learners, in particu-lar through BBC programs. Approximately one third ofthe estimated 3,600 primary schools are supported byNGOs, covering about 10% of the estimated primaryschool population in rural areas in the eastern and north-ern parts of the county. Only about 600 primary schoolsare exclusively for girls.

With the destruction of infrastructure during years of con-flict, primary schooling took place in school buildings andalternate learning spaces, including homes, common com-munity spaces, mosques, and outdoors. Approximately 60%

SUBSECTOR PERSPECTIVESCHAPTER II

Subsector Perspectives


of the schools are today considered “shelterless,” with classesconducted in borrowed or destroyed facilities. Most schoolsare seriously underresourced in terms of facilities, equipment,teaching-learning materials, and supplies. School size variesfrom single-classroom structures in villages to multistory,multiple-room urban schools serving thousands of children.Most schools are either of cement or mud-brick construc-tion. Approximately one third of schools have no identifiablewater source, and less than 15% have toilets for children’s use.

Government primary schools vary in size and schoolpopulation; the average teacher-pupil ratio ranges from14:1 in small rural schools to 100:1 in large urban schools.In high-density urban areas, schools have a combinationof primary, secondary, and high school sections. The ma-jority of school buildings require rehabilitation or evencomplete reconstruction. In Kabul, MOE estimates thatclose to 80 primary schools need varying levels of recon-struction and rehabilitation.

The government primary education structure consistsof a Primary Education Directorate in the MOE, whichis responsible for administrative management of the sys-tem, while teacher training and curriculum developmentare the responsibility of specialized directorates. A pro-vincial education office (PEO) in each province is re-sponsible for carrying out national policies andadministering finances allocated by the central Govern-ment. The provincial education officers are historicallyaccountable to both the provincial governor and to theMinister of Education in Kabul. District education of-

fices (DEOs) existed in many ad-ministrative districts, althoughtheir present status is unclear.

Human Resources

Various reports estimate the sizeof the primary school teaching forceas ranging from 15,000 to 50,000teachers, excluding the large num-ber of Afghan teachers in Pakistanand Iran. Many former teachers,particularly women, are reregister-ing at the MOE.

Several hundred teachers are alsoworking in home-based girls’ schoolsin Afghanistan and in refugee areas.These teachers often have lower aca-demic and professional qualificationsthan teachers in regular schools, butdemonstrate high motivation and

dedication. Some student achievement tests have indicated thatthe quality of learning in these schools is equivalent to or bet-ter than that in regular schools. The potential for utilizingsuch nontraditional approaches to expand access should beexplored.

The production of new academically qualified teachersfor the system will be limited in the immediate future, becausevirtually all preservice teacher training institutions have beendamaged or destroyed and have no current crop of students.As reestablishment of traditional teaching colleges will becostly and time-consuming, short-term measures for rapidtraining and deployment of potential teachers are critical.

The number and quality of teachers will be directlyaffected by salary levels, which at present are well below aliving wage and grossly in arrears. Until this is remedied,qualified individuals will seek alternative employment.Although momentum to reregister former teachers is gath-ering, the salary issue must be addressed to protect the vi-ability of the system and the feasibility of any developmentefforts. Senior government officials describe this as a “makeor break” issue for the country.

Priorities and Sequencing

The range of policy issues and critical concerns in pri-mary education is extremely broad, including the full spec-trum of access issues (gender, rural/urban, children withdisabilities, out-of-school populations), quality and rel-

Pupils gather around a visitor to their Kabul schoolyard; an estimated 38% of boys and 3% of girls were enrolledin primary school in 2002.

9

evance (curriculum and textbook revision, teaching meth-odology, and classroom management), and institutionalstructure (community participation, decentralization, roleof NGOs). The process of developing a coherent set ofpolicies, institutions, and support programs will requiresubstantial efforts by the Government.

The most urgent priority is to get children back intoschool and ensure that they stay and learn. This is the ob-jective of the Back to School national drive that waslaunched at the beginning of the new school year on 23March 2002. It includes planning, materials production,provision of school supplies, data collection, monitoring,and logistics support. This basic support program mustcontinue through at least 2 full school years, until the situ-ation begins to stabilize.

In addition to traditional schooling arrangements forschool-age children, alternative mechanisms will be re-quired for out-of-school children and youth (i.e., workingchildren, street children, and former child combatants),for whom a combination of psychosocial support, basiceducation, and apprenticeships may be necessary. While itis tempting to place these children in the category ofnonformal skills training, it is important to give them anopportunity to complete a basic education equivalencyprogram or a transitional program to “catch up” with theirage-group cohort and be mainstreamed back into second-ary school. Alternative delivery mechanisms for formalbasic education that emphasize accelerated learning withflexible delivery spaces and schedules (i.e., evening, self-study) are needed to address the needs of a large segmentof the population. Some of the “lost generation” can berecovered if the Afghan Government does not limit theiropportunities only to literacy or skills training.

Another high priority is to incorporate the roles of com-munities and NGOs in the education process with both short-term and long-term strategies. Community involvement is aproven effective strategy for improving school quality andstudent motivation and attendance. NGOs are both an essen-tial delivery mechanism and a valuable resource for develop-ing effective education practices. Both need to be integratedas an extension of government services. Overcoming ingrainedanimosity in some quarters to NGO schools is an importantchallenge facing the Government.

Given the complexity of addressing concerns about ac-cess, it would be understandable if there were a tendency toleave issues of quality for a later phase. However, access andquality are not different stages in a sequential model of devel-opment; they are parallel and mutually supportive elements.Hence, the Government recognizes the importance of in-cluding issues related to the quality of teaching and learning

in support programs from the beginning. Therefore, a clearfocus and strategy for improving educational quality mustinform all policy and operational decisions, and be integratedinto teacher training programs.

Girls’ education is also a high priority. This is not a sepa-rate issue, in light of the abysmal indicators and recent historyin Afghanistan. Cultural sensitivities regarding the educationof girls and their mobility and visibility remain fundamentalissues requiring clear policy guidelines as to types of schools(home schools, single-sex government schools, girls’ sectionsin mixed schools), the recruitment and deployment of femaleteachers, and incentives for female teachers and girls to en-courage retention.

Secondary Education

Indicators

Estimates of enrollment data for secondary educationfor 2001 range from 220,000 to 300,000 pupils, or roughly5–11% of the school-age population. The most recent esti-mate of survival rates through grade 12 is from 1993, whenonly three students out of every 100 who enrolled in grade 1completed the 12th grade. There is no reason to believe thatthe completion rate has improved since that time.


Older boys study outdoors near Kabul.


Access to secondary education is constrained by anumber of factors, particularly the number and location ofsecondary schools. In the past many district centers hadone boys’ and one girls’ secondary school, catering mostlyto “urban”1 students. Most secondary education facilitiesare located in cities rather than in villages, which is a seri-ous disadvantage for those relatively few students in ruralcommunities who successfully complete primary schooland wish to continue their education. Geographically, theratio of schools to school-age population is lower in thesouthern and western regions.

For the past several years, almost no girls were enrolledin secondary school. After the Taliban closed all girls’ schools,the only secondary education available to girls was in the twonortheastern provinces outside Taliban control. With the re-opening of schools countrywide, the number of children en-rolled in school could increase significantly, especially thenumber of girls. While some information will be availableafter schools start, it is likely that enrollments will continue toincrease throughout the year. Providing bridging classes forsecondary school-aged girls who missed out on primary schoolduring the Taliban period, and for over-age girls, remains adaunting challenge.


The common estimate of 3,600 primary and 1,100secondary schools may be misleading, because manyschools designated as “high schools” combine primary andsecondary schools, grades 1–12 inclusive. Some middleschools combine primary and lower secondary (grades 1–9). Available data do not clearly distinguish between thesecomprehensive schools and “stand-alone” facilities thatinclude only the higher grades. Under the circumstances,a more useful measure of capacity might be classroomsused for secondary education.

Many of the identified schools exist only in name, asmany have been damaged or destroyed in the war. Theexact number of usable secondary structures is unknown,but estimates indicate that 40% of school buildings arecompletely destroyed and another 15% are heavily dam-aged.

Whereas several sources of textbooks and learningmaterials are available for primary education (includ-ing the Afghan Basic Competency learning materialsand textbooks from the University of Nebraska at

Omaha), little new work has been done on textbooks forsecondary grades. These have roughly three sources:textbooks for science and math subjects from the Inter-national Rescue Committee, geography and historyfrom the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and text-books for languages from the Afghan Government be-fore 1978. These books are now being reprinted as ameasure to respond to the most urgent needs.

Most of the school inventory, libraries, laboratoryand science equipment, and consumables are destroyedor outdated. Significant investment will be required toreestablish libraries, laboratories, and science centersand to provide furniture.

The institutional base supporting secondary edu-cation in MOE includes the Department of SecondaryEducation, which has management responsibilities;Translation and Compilation, which is responsible fortextbooks and curriculum; and Teacher Training. SomePEOs nominally include a department of science, whichprovides subject matter and teaching specialists in mathand science, although these positions are usually un-filled. All of these offices are poorly equipped and in astate of disrepair. Outside Kabul, where the supply ofelectricity is poor and unreliable, electricity is eithersporadic or nonexistent.

A carpenter repairs a window frame of the school shown on page 5.

1 It is assumed that district and provincial towns are “urban,” regardlessof their size.

11

Human Resources

In the past, secondary school teachers were educatedin teacher training colleges or pedagogical institutes. Mostof the 14 teacher training colleges are no longer func-tional and no new teachers have been trained in years. In1994, UNESCO estimated the number of teachers forsecondary schools at 17,548 (6,042 of them female). Inthe intervening years, many have quit teaching or fled thecountry. MOE has neither an accurate estimate on thestatus of teachers qualified to teach secondary school, norany accurate information on numbers of secondary schoolprincipals, teacher educators, and administrators. The prob-lem of rapidly training teachers to meet demand is moredifficult at the secondary school level than for primaryeducation, because the teachers at the secondary level musthave knowledge of both subject matter and pedagogy.

Policy Environment

The policies and institutions addressing education at thepostprimary levels have not been reviewed or revised in de-cades. While some changes were made during the Soviet pe-riod, the results are poorly suited to educational needs in the21st century. The policy and institutional issues that must beaddressed for secondary education are considerably morecomplex and difficult than those at the primary level. Second-ary education, particularly at the upper secondary levels, is thepoint at which general education becomes more directly re-lated to career preparation and workforce development.Therefore, the curriculum and even the institutional struc-ture of secondary education must be adapted to the changingstructure of the economy. After 2 decades of social and eco-nomic upheaval in Afghanistan, a fundamental reevaluationof the curriculum, objectives, and structure of secondary edu-cation is essential. This evaluation must address not only theacademic tracks, but also the technical, vocational, and pro-fessional preparation systems and their relationship to highereducation and higher-level technical preparation.

The key policy and operational decisions to be ad-dressed at the secondary level will focus on how the educa-tion system can most effectively produce a workforce(professional, technical, vocational, academic) that meetsthe needs of the country, including the following:· Relevance of the curriculum to the needs of

the workforce and employment opportunities.This must address a broad range of needs, from tradi-tional occupations to computer science and Internet

management, as well as the most effective organiza-tional structure to provide these subjects.

· Relevance of the curriculum and modes of in-struction for interaction between Afghanistanand the rest of the world. The Government wishesto explore the feasibility of using English as a mediumof instruction in the higher grades.

· Linkages to employers in the private and pub-lic sectors, and establishment of internships,work-study programs, and apprenticeships.

· Use of technology as a medium of instructionand as a means of overcoming problems ofaccess in rural areas. The majority of the Afghanpopulation living in rural areas has never had access tosecondary education, and never will, unless alterna-tive delivery mechanisms are developed.

· Objectives of secondary education in prepar-ing young people for the future, including theability to continue learning over a lifetime.While these skills are often associated with moderneconomies, they are equally relevant in helping peopleadapt to rapidly changing circumstances and life op-portunities caused by social upheaval. For Afghans,adaptability and flexibility are survival skills.Gender is an important issue in secondary education.

Historically, high schools have been single-sex, and it is likelythat coeducation will continue to be culturally unacceptable atthis level. This will have a direct impact on the cost of buildingand equipping schools. Addressing this issue in a way thatbalances cultural concerns, increasing access and equity, andcost-effectiveness, will require innovative and flexible ap-proaches, including use of distance learning and technology.


The urgent top priority for secondary education is thesame as for primary: to get schools operating and childrenstudying again. This objective is being supported by thesecond phase of the Back to School campaign in 2003,which will provide school materials, textbooks, supplies,science equipment, library resource materials, dictionar-ies, and other items for secondary schools.

A parallel priority is the reassessment of the second-ary system and the development of a plan to reestablish afunctional and appropriate system for lower secondary,upper secondary, technical and vocational, and professionaltracks. It is important that a direction and vision be devel-oped prior to massive reconstruction of existing systems.Once an overall system is designed, targeted support will



be needed for many years to develop new curricula andmaterials to support that system.

For the immediate future, considerable effort will be re-quired to facilitate access and entry of Afghan students intosecondary schools, which are more complex than at the pri-mary level. The number of applicants who have successfullycompleted a primary education is unknown, but is consider-ably smaller than the number of primary school applicants.Some potential secondary school students have been educatedin home schools, in NGO-adminis-tered or foreign schools with differentcurricula, or in some refugee schoolstaught only in Pushto, or only in Dari.Many of the Afghan refugees in Iranhave been enrolled in Iranian schoolsfollowing the Iranian curriculum. Allof these situations must be addressedthrough equivalency testing programs,and some students may need remedialassistance in some subjects.

The discussion above deals withadmissions into traditional second-ary high schools and technical insti-tutes. A related concern that affectsmany more people deals with thechildren, youths, and young adultswhose education was disrupted.Some may have completed some orall primary education, while othersmay have completed some portionof high school. These people may now be out of school,but want to complete their education and obtain a degree.There are many reasons why over-age students would wantto complete their education. A 12th-grade education is arequirement for many jobs (e.g., many job postings seenin Kabul require a 12th-grade education, even those forcooks and maintenance workers). Some may wish to con-tinue on to university or technical institutes—to resumethe life plans that were disrupted years ago. To do this,alternative means of securing a formal education are es-sential, such as general education equivalency programs;accelerated education programs using flexible learningspaces, schedules, and methodologies (including distanceeducation); and work-study apprenticeships that yield adiploma. It is important that such programs not be viewedsimply as nonformal or skills training, but rather as alter-native delivery mechanisms for a formal education. Suchprograms could provide 1 million or more Afghans withthe opportunity to reclaim their lives and futures.

Tertiary Education

Current Situation

Higher education in Afghanistan has deteriorated dra-matically over the past 2 decades. From 68 colleges with well-equipped campuses in all major cities, the higher educationsystem has been reduced to empty campuses with no faculty,

students, or equipment. Althoughhigher education may be seen as elitistand serving only a small minority ofthe population, reestablishing highereducation will be a crucial element inthe effort to rebuild Afghanistan. De-cades of war and refugees have almostdestroyed Afghanistan’s professionaland technical base of educated people,including teachers, administrators,managers, engineers, doctors, andother technocrats and professionals.These people have an essential contri-bution to make in the reconstructioneffort.

The Ministry of Higher Edu-cation (MOHE) has begun to re-ceive assistance to revitalize thesystem. Kabul University is receiv-ing support from UNESCO to de-velop its College of Journalism, and

10 short-term fellowships in Germany have been awardedto update the knowledge and skills of its faculty. In addi-tion, a global appeal for books is underway to benefit theCollege’s library. Purdue University, financed by USAIDand independent sources, will provide assistance to KabulUniversity by reconstructing the School of Engineeringand Agriculture. It will also establish a technical centerand a management department.

Indicators

Before the civil war in the 1990s, the Afghan highereducation system was largely intact and thriving.UNESCO estimated enrollment in 1990 at more than24,000, with women making up one third of the studentbody. Much of the destruction of Kabul in 1992–1994 wasin the area around Kabul University; classes were seri-ously disrupted as virtually all faculty fled Kabul. DuringTaliban rule, the provision of higher education was limited

A poster for the Back to School campaign

13

to men only, mainly at what remained of Kabul University,and concentrated on Islamic studies. In Pakistan, a fewhundred Afghans are attending private colleges run byformer Afghan university professors for Afghan refugeeswho can afford to pay the tuition. The only significant op-portunities for higher education in the past decade havebeen for Afghans who emigrated to the US, UK, India, orother countries.

For the academic year beginning in March 2002, about20,000 students, men and women, sat for the university en-trance examination. The number of students to be taken inwill be subject to the availability of resources and facilities ineach of the institutions. Given the current state of the univer-sities, colleges, and teacher training institutions, less than onethird of this number is likely to be admitted.

Infrastructure

The building infrastructure of Kabul University andthe higher education system are in a state of disrepair, asmuch of it was destroyed during the various wars. Librar-ies, laboratories, and classrooms have been looted. Learn-ing is still taking place in these buildings and in temporaryfacilities. The current condition of higher education fa-cilities in the provinces is unknown.

Human Resources

In 1990, UNESCO estimated that there were 1,342teachers at the tertiary level, one quarter of whom werewomen. Since then, however, most university professorshave left the country and settled in Pakistan, the US, theUK, and other countries. The most critical resource of auniversity is the faculty, so the reconstruction of a capable

teaching staff in core disciplines is of the highest priority.This will be a daunting task.

Policy and Institutional Environment

Higher education is administered by MOHE. It com-prises 12 institutions spread around the country, led byKabul University. The universities and institutes are com-posed of 68 colleges, specializing in agriculture, econom-ics, education, engineering, fine arts, geology, journalism,law, literature, medicine, natural sciences, pharmacy, so-cial sciences, theology, and veterinary medicine. How-ever, as a result of the restrictions imposed by the Taliban,very little installed capacity still exists in areas other thanIslamic studies. The listing of colleges and areas of studyshown in Table 1 represents a historical snapshot ratherthan an existing system. In short, the higher education sys-tem must be re-created from the ground up.

At present, the Government has no clear higher edu-cation policy or strategy for redeveloping this sector. Thesystem needs to be examined in light of the reconstructionneeds of the country, the limited resources available, andmodern higher education standards and best practices.Policy has to be developed relating to admissions, accredi-tation, credit transfers, student assessment, faculty recruit-ment, compensation structure, tuition charges, provisionof higher education in areas outside Kabul, andprioritization of reconstruction.

The reconstruction of higher education will not be asimple recovery of what existed 10 years ago, but rathermust look at innovations in distance education, use of tech-nology, institutional designs (like open universities), andother creative solutions to expanding access to higher edu-


TTTTTable 1. Institutions of Higher Educationable 1. Institutions of Higher Educationable 1. Institutions of Higher Educationable 1. Institutions of Higher Educationable 1. Institutions of Higher Education

InstitutionInstitutionInstitutionInstitutionInstitution Areas of StudyKabul University Agriculture, economics, education, engineering, fine arts, geology, journalism, law, literature, natural

sciences, pharmacy, social sciences, theology, veterinary medicineNangahar University Agriculture, economics, education, engineering, law, literature, medicine, pedagogy, religion, theology,

veterinary medicineBalkh University Agriculture, economics, education, engineering, law, literature, medicine, theologyAlbironi University Agriculture, engineering, law, literature, medicine, science, theologyHerat University Agriculture, arts, economics, education, engineering, literature, medicine,Omahatulmomeneen University Law, literature, medicine, science, theology (Kabul)Kandahar University Agriculture, engineering, literature, medicine, theologyKabul Medical Institute Children’s medicine, preventive medicine, histomatologyKabul Polytechnics Institute Construction, electromechanical, mines and geologyKabul Pedagogy History, literature, physical education, scienceFaryab Pedagogy EducationKonduz Pedagogy Education

Source: Ministry of Higher Education.


cation at reasonable cost. Universities around the worldare rethinking how they function in an Internet age, andAfghanistan must factor this in as well. While such issuesmay appear wholly irrelevant to institutions whose firstpriorities are repairing the plumbing and electricity, theyare essential elements in the long-term plans for recon-struction. The Government is eager to prioritize the es-tablishment of community colleges to provide outreach tolocal communities. It may be that some of the previousinstitutions can be reoriented to meet this need rather thanrestoring them to their previous status.

Crosscutting Issues

Equity is an important issue for higher education,addressing both gender and geographical access. Duringthe Taliban period, women were not allowed to be edu-cated or to work. Some female refugee students continuedtheir studies in the receiving countries, while others did sosecretly within Afghanistan. In the post-Taliban period,policies are necessary to attract women back into univer-sities and colleges, especially in degree programs that arenot traditionally viewed as women’s. The present distribu-tion of colleges throughout the country favors Kabul. Tomeet the rebuilding needs of areas outside Kabul and tofoster regional peace, more higher education should beprovided in the provinces, offering programs that are moresuitable to the development needs of the area, perhaps byincorporating a community outreach approach.


The most immediate priority for higher education isto reopen and to admit as many applicants as possible un-der the circumstances. This will require immediate sup-port for (i) physical rehabilitation of the campuses, fromplumbing and electricity to furnishing of laboratories andclassrooms; (ii) provision of materials and supplies; and(iii) establishing a functioning cadre of professors and in-structors in the key areas of study. The first year will re-quire different coping strategies to maintain an acceptablelevel of program offerings, including the use of adjunctteachers and exchange professors.

The initial support for higher education will involvesome careful trade-offs. Restoring all 68 colleges, or evena significant subset, to a level of functionality where theyare able to admit and teach students is not an attainableshort-term goal. Physical restoration of facilities andequipment may be the smallest part of rebuilding an aca-

demic community, which can only be accomplished col-lege by college and department by department. Physicalrestoration may not even be a high priority in the shortterm, as the number of students who will be admitted in thefirst 2 years will be limited, and possibly will be concen-trated in only a few colleges and disciplines. It is perhapsmore important in higher education than in other areasthat immediate reconstruction assistance support, and notdistort, long-term plans. The long-term development planfor a university system in 2005 or 2010 may not include allof the colleges that existed in 1985. Moreover, it may in-clude a very different mix of delivery modalities, includinga community outreach component or distance educationcenters as well as a traditional four-year residential univer-sity structure.

Therefore, the second most immediate priority is toinitiate long-term planning for the sector. MOHE mustdevelop a comprehensive plan for higher education in Af-ghanistan, including the revitalization of existing faculties,the rationalization of the national higher education net-work, and an assessment of the appropriateness of develop-ing a community college-style system for Afghanistan. Thesector plans must assess the options for financing the highereducation system, including alternatives for revenue gen-eration (charging tuition, conducting research, faculty/university consulting services, business support services,etc.), and review the feasibility of self-study, distance edu-cation, satellite facilities, and use of technology to increasecost-effective access and enable the sharing of expertiseamong geographically distant campuses.

One result of the planning exercise will be a MasterPlan for reconstruction and revitalization, which will in-clude the following specific operational plans:· Identify technical assistance and faculty support/ex-

change requirements;· Develop procedures and a staffing plan for coordinat-

ing foreign assistance from expatriate universities aswell as direct assistance from external fundingagencies;

· Conduct an assessment to determine the cost of re-storing facilities in provincial areas;

· Develop a procurement plan to implement the revital-ization plan; and

· Develop a schedule, requirements, and a budget forfacilities restoration.The third urgent priority is to strengthen core opera-

tions, including procedures for financial management, ac-counting, and auditing, facilities maintenance and repair,and coordination among external funding agencies.

15

Finally, a proposal is needed for providing remedialeducation and additional support to bring dropouts backinto the higher education system and to increase the num-ber of eligible applicants.

Youth/Adult/Vocationaland Technical Education

Current Situation in the Sector

In view of the devastating circumstances in Afghanistan,it is hard to highlight one sector or problem as being the mostdaunting to address. However, the broad category of youth/adult/vocational-technical education may fit that description,if only because of the immensity and variety of the demand,and the critical importance of its success. The potential mar-ket for training is in the millions—providing literacy forpeople who have never had education, providing migrants tocities with job-related training, helping skilled and semiskilledworkers gear up for a massive reconstruction effort, restoringtechnical capacity in a range of enterprises, and training officeworkers and support staff, just to list a few. The potential cli-ents include refugees whose traditional livelihoods have beendestroyed, widows and orphans who are now breadwinners,and demobilized youth—and children—with no skills or ex-perience other than war and refugee life. Vocational-technicaltraining forms the critical linchpin between the millions ofpoor and jobless who are trying to find livelihoods in a recov-ering economy and the urgent needs of a massive rehabilita-tion effort. The gap between these two elements is measuredin social and political instability and insecurity. This subsectoraffects the majority of the population—and failure to addressthese issues effectively can undermine the reconstruction andrecovery effort.

Indicators

The available data on student enrollments, academicand teaching staff, administrative and support staff, aresummarized in Table 2.

No information has been obtained about the histori-cal levels of enrollment in the system. Obviously, studentenrollments fell dramatically as buildings were destroyedand equipment and materials pilfered. However, data pro-vided indicate that there are only two students per teacher,which seems unlikely. Furthermore, all sources indicatedthat the teachers in this sector migrated to better jobs in

other countries. Therefore, additional data are needed todetermine the actual state of affairs.


The Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) sec-tor has traditionally consisted of formal, institutional edu-cation and training. It is generally classified into threesegments: junior secondary (grades 6–9), secondary(grades 9–12), and higher secondary (grades 9–14). Theseare known by a variety of names, which reflect historicalaffiliations and influences. For example, there are lycéesor lyceums for business, art and music; and tekhnikum ortechnical institutes/schools for mechanical/electrical andsimilar skills. In addition, there are agriculture lycées,which are mainly located in the provinces.

Virtually all of the physical structures and materials/equipment of these institutions are badly damaged or de-stroyed. The following description of the TVE system rep-resents a system that is no longer functional. The TVEsystem, as shown in Table 3, consisted of 41 schools/insti-tutes in Kabul and in the provinces.

Three of the year 9–12 technical schools in Kabulinclude specialized institutions operated by ministries re-sponsible for the telecommunications, power and energy,and transport sectors. Business/administration schools inKabul include an Institution for the Blind and a School forWomen, as well as schools for business/administrativetraining (including office workers).

While these organizations are identified as part of theMOE structure, the institutes appear to be owned andoperated by other ministries or institutions, or the provin-cial administrations, which are responsible for developingthe technical content of courses to meet their needs. Theprimary role of MOE appears to be the validation of theseprograms through examinations and the award of certifi-cates. The financial support, including salary payments,for these institutions is not clear. A review and redefinition


Source: Ministry of Exucation.

TTTTTaaaaable 2. Tble 2. Tble 2. Tble 2. Tble 2. Technical and Vechnical and Vechnical and Vechnical and Vechnical and Vocational Educationocational Educationocational Educationocational Educationocational EducationIndicatorsIndicatorsIndicatorsIndicatorsIndicatorsKabulKabulKabulKabulKabul ProvincesProvincesProvincesProvincesProvinces TTTTTotalotalotalotalotal

Students enrolled 895 949 1,844

Teachers 424 429 853

Administrative 119 144 263

Other Staff 255 366 621

Total 1,693 1,888 3,581


is needed of the roles and functions of MOE in relation tothe TVE responsibilities of other ministries and agenciesfor the specialized sectors. All private providers of TVEand the NGOs that operate vocational and skills trainingprograms should also be accounted for. The relationshipsand responsibilities of MOE and those of the provincialauthorities that run their own TVE outfits must also bereviewed and clarified.

Overall organizational responsibility for TVE hasshifted back and forth between MOE and MOHE overthe years. Currently, TVE is back with MOE. When TVEwas with Higher Education, Kabul University provided asteady supply of well-trained teachers for TVE.

The Kabul Polytechnic was started in the mid-1960sto educate competent technologists with a practical orien-tation in construction, geology, and electromechanics. Stu-dents of grade 12 were recruited through a competitiveexamination and followed a 10-semester program of study.The Polytechnic is reported to have had an enrollment ofabout 1,500 and a faculty of about 200 professors and lec-turers. In recent times, these numbers have dwindled toabout 300 students and 75 faculty and staff, and currentexpected enrollment is unknown. The physical infrastruc-ture is damaged and all equipment and materials are gone.The Polytechnic is under MOHE.

Human Resources

In the past, Kabul University was responsible for trainingtechnical educators/teachers for technical institutions/schools and for agricultural schools. The Faculty of Engi-neering of the University consisted of the departments ofelectrical, civil, mechanical, architecture, chemical, andagricultural engineering, and a Department of TVE,

which was responsible for training technical teachers fortechnical training institutions. Similarly, the Faculty of Ag-riculture consisted of the departments of economics, ex-tension, and vocational education, which trained teachersfor agricultural schools. At present, all TVE departmentshave been dismantled, leaving no organization responsiblefor training vocational education teachers.


The traditional TVE approach will not serve the im-mediate and urgent needs in Afghanistan. The highest pri-ority is for large-scale, short-term training andapprenticeships linked with job-creation schemes underthe reconstruction process. The scale of the need is so greatthat multiple and creative approaches will be needed. Allskills training will need to be supported by job-placementefforts. In addition to training related to the reconstruc-tion efforts, considerable vocational training will be neededfor special target groups such as widows, orphans, streetchildren, and demobilized youth and children.

Initially, the immediate priority is to meet the skillneeds of the recovery and reconstruction efforts. Whileconsolidating these efforts, the capacity of the system shouldalso be further developed to produce skills needed to copewith the absorption of new technologies. By acquiring suchskills, Afghanistan will be able to take advantage of emerg-ing global economic opportunities and to integrate withthe international community.

To meet these diverse needs, it will be necessary toexplore and adapt the best in TVE and skills training foryouth, taking advantage of the most recent advances in edu-cation methodologies and technologies, particularly thoseadapted to rural and remote communities. A body of bestpractices for organizing and educating youth, for bringingliteracy and life skills to young women, and for deliveringsecond-chance education to children has been developedand tested throughout the developing world. As emergencyresponse turns into transition, coordination between gov-ernment and nongovernment stakeholders will need to bestrengthened and regularized to ensure that a large array ofservices is available to out-of-school children and youth.NGOs might see their role in basic education change asMOE supports a growing number of schools and as girlsenter the formal system. At the same time, MOE may relyon NGOs to enhance their efforts to serve hard-to-reachpopulations or those with special needs.

Finally, a parallel process of long-term developmentof the institutions and policies needed in technical and vo-cational training will be necessary. Assessment of alterna-

Notes: — = not available.Source: Ministry of Education.

TTTTTable 3. Table 3. Table 3. Table 3. Table 3. Technical and Vechnical and Vechnical and Vechnical and Vechnical and Vocational Schools and Institutesocational Schools and Institutesocational Schools and Institutesocational Schools and Institutesocational Schools and Institutes

Skills Skills Skills Skills Skills LocationLocationLocationLocationLocation YYYYYear 9-14ear 9-14ear 9-14ear 9-14ear 9-14 YYYYYear 9-12ear 9-12ear 9-12ear 9-12ear 9-12 YYYYYear 6-9ear 6-9ear 6-9ear 6-9ear 6-9 TTTTTotalotalotalotalotal

Technical Kabul 5 12 1 18

Provinces 2 5 — 7

Subtotal 7 17 1 25

Agriculture Kabul 1 — — 1

Provinces — 10 — 10

Subtotal 1 10 11

Business/ Kabul 1 4 — 5

Adminis- Provinces — — — —

tration Subtotal 1 4 — 5

Grand Total 9 31 1 41

17

tive approaches and the integration of academic and tech-nical education streams will be part of the sector planningexercise to create an overall rational and effective educa-tion system that meets the needs of the Afghan economy.

Teacher Education andTraining

The prewar teacher education system in Afghanistan wasbased on a network of 14 2-year teacher training colleges in11 provinces. With the Soviet invasion, six of these collegeswere transferred to the MOHE and converted to pedagogi-cal institutes with 4-year programs of study, and the remain-

ing colleges were not supported. By 1984, only three teachertraining colleges were functioning; and after 6 years of theTaliban, two of these institutions still functioned—but onlypartly: they have suffered physical destruction and neither hasactive staff, although several have applied to accept studentsin 2002 from among those who take the higher educationentrance examination.

The issue of teacher education and training is a diffi-cult one. On the one hand, rapid expansion of the basiceducation system will require immediate recruitment andfunctional training of more than 4,000 new teachers eachyear, a goal for which the traditional teacher educationsystem is unsuited and which it is wholly incapable ofachieving under current circumstances. Simply put, theeducation system cannot wait 2 or 4 years for new teach-

ers. Moreover, it is not clear that separate facilities withmultiyear programs are the most effective or efficient meansof educating teachers. The alternatives of incorporatingteacher education into general college or even secondaryschool programs, coupled with intensive in-service train-ing, may be more effective in both the short and long term.These options need to be explored to avoid making largeinvestments in obsolete institutions.

On the other hand, Afghan educators have considerableprofessional and emotional attachment to the former system,and are strongly in favor of rebuilding and restoring the fullnetwork of 14 teacher training institutes. MOE will requireassistance to conduct a programmatic assessment of the op-tions and to develop both immediate and long-term plans to

address the shortage of teachers in anefficient way.

In the short term, the urgentneed for primary and secondaryschool teachers will require flexibleand innovative approaches for rapiddeployment, training, and supportof teachers who lack traditionalqualifications. This is an urgentpriority for MOE and externalfunding agencies to ensure that ac-ceptable levels of quality are main-tained in a rapidly expandingeducation system.

Early ChildhoodEducation

Early childhood development(ECD) programs address the needs and development ofyoung children from birth to 6 years of age, their families,and their communities. They are multidimensional anddesigned to support children’s health, nutritional, cogni-tive, social, and emotional abilities, enabling them to sur-vive and thrive in later years. Reflecting cultural values,they must be deeply rooted within families and communi-ties, blending what is known about environments that en-hance optimal child development with an understandingof traditional child-rearing practices that support and/orcurtail a child’s development. The goal of the ECD strat-egy is to help families ensure that their children reachschool age, not only healthy and well nourished, but intel-lectually curious, socially confident, and equipped with asolid foundation for lifelong learning.


With the school year about to begin, teachers in Kabul confer about priorities and budgets.


Current Situation

ECD programs have a relatively short history inAfghanistan. They were first introduced during the Sovietoccupation with the establishment in 1980 of 27 urbanpreschools, or kodakistan. The number of preschools grewsteadily during the 1980s, reaching a high of more than270 by 1990, with 2,300 teachers caring for more than21,000 children. These facilities were an urban phenom-enon, mostly in Kabul, and were attached to schools, gov-ernment offices, or factories. Based on the Soviet model,they provided nursery care, preschool, and kindergartenfor children from 3 months to 7 years of age under thedirection of the Department of Labor and Social Welfare.The vast majority of Afghan families were never exposedto this system, and most of those who were never fully ac-cepted it because it diminished the central role of the fam-ily and inculcated children with Soviet values.

With the onset of civil war after the Soviet withdrawal, thenumber of kindergartens dropped rapidly. By 1995, only 88functioning facilities serving 2,110 children survived, and theTaliban restrictions on female employment eliminated all ofthe remaining centers in areas under their control. At present,no programs of any size exist, facilities have been destroyed,and trained personnel are lacking.

Indicators: Threats to EarlyChildhood Development

It is estimated that 2.5 million Afghan children areless than 6 years of age. A range of both biological andenvironmental risk factors act synergistically to exert apowerful negative influence on the growth and develop-ment of the Afghan child.

A mix of religious and tribal customs and beliefs perme-ates Afghan society, with kinship substituting for governmentin most areas. Communities are traditionally closely knit witha strong emphasis on the extended family. Roles are clearlydefined and central to the social order. Decades of war, mas-sive displacement, and changing power structures caused thecollapse of community-support networks and the erosion ofthe extended family—one of the most basic traditional cop-ing mechanisms. Large numbers of women are widowed andhave had to assume unaccustomed and nontraditional roles asfamily breadwinners.

One quarter of all children die before the age of 5 as aresult of birth trauma, neonatal tetanus diarrhea, pneumo-nia, and vaccine-preventable diseases. Iron-deficiency ane-mia is widespread, affecting half to two thirds of children

under 5 years of age. Large numbers of children are chroni-cally malnourished; 45–59% show high levels of stunting.Malnutrition contributes to high rates of maternal mor-tality among adolescent girls in a culture where as many ashalf of all girls marry before the age of 18, and many soonafter adolescence.

Confronted with these interlocking threats to devel-opment, children arrive at school unable to take advantageof learning opportunities. It is not surprising that dropoutrates are high. Figures from 1999 show that one in fourchildren dropped out of school in grade 2 and almost onein two in grades 3 and 4. In addition to the child’s physicaland health status, other factors contributing to high drop-out rates are family issues and competing priorities for thechild’s time, irregular teacher attendance, subject irrel-evance, and poor quality of teaching.

Institutional and Policy Environment

At present, no policies deal with early childhood and noinstitutions have either the responsibility or the capacity toprovide such services. In the past, the Ministry of Labor andSocial Affairs was accountable for kindergartens, nurseries,and crèches, while orphanages fell within the purview ofMOE. At present, the Ministries of Education, Labor andSocial Affairs, and Women’s Affairs have expressed an interestin overseeing the early childhood sector. As the Governmentcontinues to define and restructure ministerial responsibili-ties, the strengths and limitations of various options, includingan interministerial coordination agency, should be carefullyconsidered.

While formal structures do not exist, it is not clear whetherany informal childcare arrangements exist at the communitylevel other than those provided by family members. As womenenter the work force, it is likely that a market for private pre-school services will emerge in urban areas.

Human Resources

Few data exist on the number and status of childcare pro-viders formerly attached to the Ministry of Labor and SocialAffairs. These employees were high school graduates who hadcompleted a 6-month training course in early childhood de-velopment. If they can be found and provided with refreshertraining, they represent a limited pool of skilled and commit-ted service providers. Several NGOs provide a range of ser-vices to groups of mothers and young children, including Savethe Children, the Aga Khan Foundation, World Vision, theSwedish Committee for Children, CARE, and OXFAM.

19Subsector Perspectives

Their expertise in working with families and communitiesprovides possibilities for partnership in a proposed Afghanearly child development strategy.

Crosscutting Issues

In addition to linkages with heath and nutrition, theearly childhood sector addresses several crosscutting is-sues, including gender and children with disabilities. Theroots of discrimination against girls, the stereotyping ofmale and female models of behavior, and the acceptanceof male domination and violence against women are

formed very early within the family. These values are rein-forced in the school, community, and institutions that sup-port children and their families. Since gender-equity issuesin education begin in early childhood, the strategy sug-gested is one of informal community-based programs thatsupport the capacity of families and communities to pro-vide a fair start to girls as well as boys, and help parentsbetter perceive the capabilities of the girl-child, thus lead-ing to a longer period of schooling and increasing the prob-ability that girls will enter and remain in primary school.

The term “children with disabilities” subsumes a widerange of atypical disorders, from short-term behavior prob-lems to long-term physical, mental, and emotional disabili-ties. In view of this, there is an urgent need to provideattention to children with these disabilities. The integrated-holistic approach to normal child development provides aunique opportunity to identify these children early in lifeand to provide them with early intervention services. Therecommended strategy is to equip paraprofessionals andfamilies with the skills needed for the early identificationof disabilities and intervention with infants and young chil-dren.

Strategy and Priorities

In light of the absence of infrastructure and capacityin this area, the first priority is to distribute materials ofimmediate use to young children and introduce the con-cept of early childhood programs for use in existing pro-grams, such as those run by NGOs. Therefore, the initialproposed investments are intended to provide immediatebenefits to as many young children as possible, while imple-menting pilot programs that may form the basis for later,more substantive institution building. Given the high costand complexity of restarting primary education, it is notrecommended that the Government embark on a large-scale ECD program. Instead, it should provide a condu-cive policy environment to ensure smooth functioning ofNGO/private sector-run facilities. Community participa-tion in ECD must be encouraged.

Two little girls in Qadam Joy are intent on their books.


21

Policy Framework

The Government has not had the time or capacity toarticulate a policy statement for the educationsector, or to develop a strategy that incorporates

the immediate needs of the nation into a longer-term frame-work for development. Discussions with senior officials inthe Afghanistan Assistance Coordination Authority(AACA), the Ministry of Reconstruction, and MOE in-dicate that a range of policy concerns is under consider-ation by the Government and that some policy directionsare beginning to emerge.

The MOE will require a set of interim policies in keyareas, to facilitate the rapid expansion and recovery of theeducational system and to develop the ability to addressthe needs of multiple target groups. The CNA missionrecommends that MOE adoptan interim policy of not makinginvestments with long-term im-plications (such as significantnew buildings and institutions)until it completes a long-termstrategy. This will provide theGovernment with enough dataand time to make informed de-cisions about future directionsand structure. In the meantime,the highest priority must be therapid extension of services to thepopulation through multiple av-enues.

The parallel process of de-veloping a long-term strategy,appropriate policies, and a sec-tor development plan can bestarted immediately. The pro-

posed projects include assistance in developing such a long-term strategy and policies. Such decisions should be basedon solid data, analysis, and the consideration of alterna-tives. Some of these decisions must be made relatively soon,while others can be addressed on the basis of a more flex-ible timetable. Among the issues that this policy formula-tion process must address, in order of priority, are thefollowing:· Stronger capacity for policy formulation and

implementation. Throughout MOE, the capacityto formulate and implement policies is understand-ably weak; it has not had time to develop formal sys-tems to coordinate and direct the work of its variousparts. However, this is an essential capacity that mustbe developed quickly.

· Agreement on a streamlined institutional struc-ture. AACA has indicated a general preference for an

A DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORKFOR THE SECTOR

CHAPTER III

Little girls study in a UNHCR refugee camp in Zhare Dasht, Kandahar province; NGOs have carried on some of the mostsuccessful education interventions in displaced persons camps and in refugee camps in neighboring states.

A Development Framework for the Sector


efficient, streamlined bureaucracy that implementsappropriate government functions while leaving a sub-stantial role for the private sector. Within the educa-tion sector, general agreement exists about the need toavoid developing heavily centralized ministries, andto define appropriate roles and responsibilities for pro-vincial, district, and school/community entities. How-ever, not all MOE departments reflect this philosophyin their planning for this first year. It is important thatclear operational guidelines be established, particu-larly for the interim period, that promote rapid scal-ing up of educational services, including use ofexisting NGO capacity, short-term teacher trainingprograms, and use of existing materials.

· Achieving equity of access and rapid expansionof access. Gender, regional, and urban/rural equityhave been identified as key tenets of the educationpolicy. The ability to achieve greater access for disad-vantaged populations will depend a great deal on thepolicies adopted by MOE in key areas such as teacherrecruitment and training, the use of NGOs as imple-menting partners, and construction practices and stan-dards. Flexibility is necessary not only in the policiesfor teacher recruitment, allocation of school build-ings, and their design, but also in school hours. Con-struction of completely separate schools for boys andgirls is an unaffordable option. The Ministry has in-dicated a general preference for coeducational use ofschool facilities where it is acceptable to the commu-nity. Various options can be considered, such as sepa-rate shifts for boys and girls. Access is also influencedby seasonal activities. Based on the experience of sev-eral NGOs, it is necessary to allow schools in certainareas to operate during all winter months, for full days,since agricultural activities cease during the winterseason. Members of communities in such areas, in-cluding the children, are occupied during summerseason with work on their lands.

· Providing educational opportunities for specialout-of-school groups. The educational needs ofvulnerable groups, including children with disabili-ties, war widows, and young adults who did not com-plete school (including demilitarized combatants)must be addressed in the near term. These needs maytake many forms. A government policy that encour-ages and validates general education equivalency forprimary and secondary school degrees through accel-erated learning programs with nontraditional deliv-ery mechanisms will effectively expand the coverageand access of basic education to many of the “lost gen-

eration.” Simple self-study materials, such as ABCLearning Packages, can be used for this purpose. Inaddition, skills-oriented vocational and technicaltraining directly linked to employment opportunitiesrelated to the reconstruction of Afghanistan isurgentlyneeded.

· Role of and relationships with the private sectorand NGOs. The relationship of MOE with the pri-vate sector and NGOs is complex, and must be care-fully formulated into policies and a regulatoryframework and procedures. The relationship with theprivate sector has three main aspects: the private sec-tor as a provider of education services; as a cooperat-ing partner, particularly in secondary and vocationaltraining; and as an outsourcing mechanism. An in-terim policy encouraging the use of multiple mecha-nisms, including the private sector and NGOs, will benecessary to expand educational services rapidlythroughout the country. Over the longer term, a com-prehensive policy must be developed.As a service provider, the private sector, communities,and NGOs have built and are operating or supportingmore than 1,000 primary schools. Over the short term,these programs will continue to operate, to maintainand expand access to education. As the Governmentrestores the system, the role of NGOs as partners inthis process needs to be strategically planned, with a

Bullet holes pock the school wall behind this young boy in Kabul.

23

coherent policy on functions, quality control, and pos-sible cost sharing. Over the longer term, a policy willbe required to establish the framework for such schoolsto function, or to be absorbed under the umbrella ofMOE. Eventually, a regulatory framework for thepromotion of quality private schools, with appropri-ate oversight and quality assurance by the Govern-ment, will be required. In the vocational-technicalfield, many private training institutes already exist,primarily for English language training and computerskills.A similar framework will be required for communityinvolvement in school governance. In the absence ofgovernment schools in many locations, communitieshave been instrumental in setting up, financing, andmanaging schools. Integration of these schools intothe national system will be complex, because such keyissues as teacher recruitment, qualifications, and payare currently determined by the community. Formalmechanisms for school-community partnerships,which may include Parent-Teacher Associations andSchool Management Committees or Village Educa-tion Committees, will need to be established, to specifyoperational modalities, resource allocations, and ac-countability and communication structures, within apolicy framework.At the secondary and vocational-technical level, closerelationships with employers will help the educationalinstitutions develop better curricula and areas of studythat are relevant to the labor market. Policies and mecha-nisms enabling this type of collaboration, including in-ternships, apprenticeships, and work-study options, may

be appropriate. As a provider of outsource ser-vices, the private sector may be particularly im-portant in the immediate reconstruction. MOEwill require a policy and procedures foroutsourcing such operations as school construc-tion, repair, and maintenance; delivery and ware-housing of materials; financial management;transportation; and perhaps even teacher train-ing. In the short term, such a policy is a necessityto expand access as quickly as possible. Over thelong term, this policy will be linked to the broaderpolicy on the role and responsibilities of MOE.· Setting salary and staffing levels.

Perhaps no policy issue requires an in-terim policy and planning guidelines moreurgently than the question of salaries and staff-ing. Before the present Government took of-fice, the Rabbani Government established a

policy of rehiring staff at the same levels as existed in1995. As the Government has not articulated a differ-ent policy, MOE and the provincial departments arehiring large numbers of employees, and individual de-partments are planning for even larger staff increasesin their development plans. Although final policiescannot be made until the Government and ministrybudget parameters are established—including the civilservice salary structure—it is important for MOE toavoid locking itself into unmanageable and unsustain-able staffing patterns. In planning for recurrent bud-gets, adequate space must be created for nonsalaryexpenditures, such as materials and supplies.

· Gaining access to qualified staff through second-ing. Because of low salary levels, MOE is unable toattract many qualified Afghan educators to govern-ment service. This problem is exacerbated by the com-petition from NGOs and development agencies, whichpay higher salaries for qualified educators to managetheir programs. One possible solution is for qualifiedstaff to be seconded to official positions and/or to fa-cilitate staff exchanges between MOE and the NGOs,which could result in on-the-job training for MOEstaff. This is included as a possible high-impactproject. However, it will require enabling policies andmechanisms from both MOE and the NGOs.

· Carrying out curriculum revision and implemen-tation. A full-fledged revision and reassessment ofthe Afghan curriculum, educational objectives, andtextbooks/learning materials must be initiated in thefirst year. While the implementation of this will be along-term activity, early direction and policy decisions

Young boys study in a UNICEF tent school in Qadam Joy, Sar-e Pol province.



will be important in providing guidelines. The cur-riculum review should address the broad questions ofwhether, and how, to use or adapt the Basic LearningCompetencies; of determining a strategy for improv-ing the quality and relevance of the curriculum; and ofdeveloping strong linkages between secondary edu-cation and workforce needs. It will also require spe-cific policy decisions regarding which language(s)might be the medium of instruction at different agesand for different subjects. This will address the ques-tion of national languages as well as the proposal thatEnglish be the medium of instruction in some sub-jects at secondary and university levels. Promotion ofcivics and governance-related subjects to promotepeace, stability, national unity, and social harmony mustbecome integrated parts of the curriculum. These de-cisions will have substantive implications for all othercurriculum development decisions.

Institutional Frameworkand Capacity Building

Overview

The development of a coherent institutional frameworkand the need to build capacity to support that frameworkareessential activities that cut across all subsectors addressed inthe CNA. They also cut across organizations involving theMinistries of Education, Higher Education, Health, Women’sAffairs, and Labor and Social Affairs. This analysis is basedon a system-development framework, including the organi-zational structure and roles and responsibilities of the minis-tries, staffing patterns, information systems, and proceduresand rules for governance.

MOE and MOHE have been operational only sincethe initiation of the present Government. Within a veryshort period of time, they have become preoccupied withthe details needed to restart the education system—regis-tering students, reenrolling teachers and principals, de-veloping payroll lists and payment procedures, recruitingteachers, recruiting core MOE staff, approving applica-tions for school rehabilitation, making decisions on cur-ricula and textbooks, developing relations with theprovinces, and working out arrangements with the manyeducation NGOs. This work is being done with limitedstaff, minimal equipment, nonexistent communications,and almost no material support.

Organization of the Ministry ofEducation

The central MOE is organized into 22 departments,including a General Secretariat. These are coordinated bytwo deputy ministers, one for operations and one for pro-gram. At present, the deputy minister for operations is per-forming both functions. All 22 departments are on the sameorganizational level and all report directly to the minister.They are grouped into five categories:· Coordination and control: deputy ministers, General

Secretariat, audit and inspection;· Planning, international relations, and construction;· Management structures: personnel and administra-

tion;· Subsector structures: primary education, secondary

education, vocational education, literacy, health, reli-gious education, sciences education, sports, scouts, andorphanages; and

· Pedagogic structures: teacher training, translation andcompilation (curriculum and textbooks), printing andpublication, and distance education.In addition, a Kabul City department is attached to

the ministry, which administers the schools of Kabul. Theother districts of Kabul are attached to the Provincial Di-rectorate of Education under the governor of Kabul Prov-ince.

The distribution of roles and responsibilities amongthe central departments is fragmented by functions. Thesubsector departments, such as primary and secondary edu-cation, have only administrative responsibilities, and haveno role in the issues of curriculum, teacher training, orplanning related to their subsectors; these are responsi-bilities of the technical departments, which handle themwithout consultation with sector departments. Realignmentof these roles and the promotion of coordination betweendepartments are needed.

The 32 PEOs are responsible for supervising pri-mary and secondary education, as well as literacy. Theactivities of central departments, such as vocational andtechnical, are not channeled through PEOs or DEOs,which number about 535. The detailed organization ofPEOs may differ from one province to the next, but thegeneral structure remains the same. A quick survey ofthe 10 provinces in the central region indicates that,generally, the provincial offices have two or three depu-ties (administration, technical affairs, and religious af-fairs), an inspection and supervision department, astudent affairs department, a literacy department, and

25

operational departments such as planning, personnel,administration and finance, accounting, services, andsupplies. Only one out of the 10 provinces has a con-struction department. For these provinces, PEOs haveabout 50 staff.

MOE’s overall organizational model is a centralizedsystem, although historically provinces have had an im-portant role. PEOs have had substantive responsibilitiesover the years, including the assignment of teachers, fi-nancial management, student assignment and manage-ment, and even some purchases of materials. Because ofthe lack of communication with provincial and local lev-els over the past 10 years, the PEOs’ functional autonomyhas increased. Their relative autonomy is a strength thatshould be built upon.

Some MOE departments have shown considerableinterest in returning to a highly centralized model. This iscounterbalanced by recognition within the Governmentand other parts of MOE that there can be no return to aheavily centralized education bureaucracy, both in termsof efficiency and in terms of the immediate need to rapidlyexpand services. Providing MOE officials with exposureto recent education experiences in neighboring countriesmay be an important element in the rebuilding process, asAfghans explore ways to build on the advantages of theirexisting structure.

Human Resources

Table 4 shows the total allowable staff at the centralMOE and at the provincial levels. Based on these staffingcharts, the combined total employment in the MOE cen-tral office and the provinces is 75,464. The total numberof staff presently in the central MOE office is 1,650 (285teachers, 704 nonteaching professional staff, and 3,887support staff) The actual number of staff presently work-ing in the provincial offices, districts, and schools is notknown. The Taliban Government had dramatically cut thenumber of civil servants, so the 1996 staffing charts do notreflect the current reality. At present, the MOE at both thecentral and provincial levels is actively recruiting on thebasis of the former charts, so the number of employeeschanges on a daily basis. The rehiring process is proceed-ing with little control, few guidelines, out-of-date person-nel records, and no communication with the provinces.The best estimates from MOE indicate that total currentstaffing is 66,000 (39,629 teachers, 11,130 professionalstaff and 15,241 support staff), distributed as indicated inTable 4.

The implications of the fluctuations in employmentfor MOE’s finances are enormous, making it difficult tomake reliable forecasts. The Civil Service Commission isworking on an overall government salary structure that mayend up almost doubling current salaries, which are univer-sally seen as below a living wage.

The age distribution of existing staff is a concern, asthe average age in the central MOE is relatively old, rang-ing between 45 and 60.

Assessment of Current MOE Capacity

MOE staff have made a tremendous effort to respondto the pressing needs to restart the system. By any measure,the achievements of the past several months are impres-sive, particularly in light of the scarcity of resources andinformation. These achievements indicate motivation andability. Nevertheless, the central departments are con-strained by a limited capacity to establish priorities, de-velop detailed plans and budgets, and implement them.Any educational planning exercise is highly constrainedby the lack of reliable data, lack of communication withthe provinces, and lack of substantive experience. MOE’sdepartments have had no substantive experience or respon-sibilities in years.

While the capacity constraints are an issue for all thedepartments, special emphasis is warranted in several de-partments with critical operational responsibilities. Theseare construction and finance/personnel. The Building andConstruction Department, the key organization for plan-ning and coordinating school reconstruction, lacks thehuman and material resources to assess needs and plan forrepairs. The staff dropped from 411 to 50 during the Taliban


Source: Ministry of Education.

TTTTTable 4. Apprable 4. Apprable 4. Apprable 4. Apprable 4. Approved Ministry of Education Personneloved Ministry of Education Personneloved Ministry of Education Personneloved Ministry of Education Personneloved Ministry of Education PersonnelChart for 2002Chart for 2002Chart for 2002Chart for 2002Chart for 2002

Central MOE (includingdirectorates, literacy,religious schools,teaching training,vocational,anddirectorates oforphanages

Provincial educationpersonnel

Total approvedpersonnel

DepartmentDepartmentDepartmentDepartmentDepartment TTTTTeacherseacherseacherseacherseachers TTTTTotalotalotalotalotal

Profes-Profes-Profes-Profes-Profes-sionalsionalsionalsionalsionalStaffStaffStaffStaffStaff

ServiceServiceServiceServiceServiceStaffStaffStaffStaffStaff

32,917

39,629

54,333

66,000

12,360

15,241

9,056

11,130

6,712 11,6672,8812,074


regime. The function of this department has varied con-siderably in the past decades, from being primarily engi-neering of school design and quality control to more directresponsibility for construction and furniture manufactureunder the communist regimes. The different views of thisorganizational role are reflected in the present work plansfor outsourcing the initial reconstruction to outside con-tractors (the private sector, NGOs, and communities).However, some officials hope to eventually recreate alarge-scale centralized construction department workingfrom seven zones around the country. Immediate assis-tance is needed to assist this department to perform itscritical functions, while developing feasible and sustain-able long-term plans that provide for an appropriate su-pervising role for the ministry and that involves the privatesector in actual construction.

The Personnel and Administration Departmentshave a clear understanding of their role, at least for thecentral level and within present policies. However, theydo not have the resources or capacity to perform theirbasic functions: massive recruitment and deploymentof additional needed teachers, budget preparation andexpenditure, establishment of central and provincialpayrolls, timely payment of salaries, accounting, andfinance control. These functions are critical for the re-vitalization of the education system and must operate,from the start, at an acceptable level. These departmentsneed immediate support.

Assessment of Provincial EducationOffice Capacity

Although little information was available from theprovinces, a rapid assessment of provincial capacity wasfacilitated by MOE workshops, supported by UNESCOand UNICEF, in which senior officials from MOE andall PEOs reflected on policy issues. The CNA missionteam exchanged ideas with the participants on the futuredirection of education in Afghanistan, principles and is-sues for education development as highlighted by interna-tional experience, and immediate needs and high-impactprojects for education in Afghanistan in the short term.

The workshop resulted in initial recommendations forpriorities and critical needs as defined by representatives of theofficials most directly responsible for rebuilding the system.These recommendations are incorporated in the proposedQuick Impact Projects (QIPs) (see Appendix). The consul-tation revealed a high degree of motivation, commitment, andpractical thinking on the part of the provincial education of-ficers as well as central MOE directors. Clearly the PEOswill be viable and important partners in extending educationservices throughout the country.

Priorities, Sequencing, and Strategy

It is important to recognize that the implementationprocess is working on an Afghan timetable rather than an

external funding agency timetable.Events and actions are movingrapidly, and assistance must startquickly if it is to be effective andnot be overtaken by events. Theobjective of the Afghan Govern-ment is to extend education ser-vices to 2 million children within2 years; equally important is meet-ing the education needs of out-of-school children, youth, and adults.This calls for a pragmatic andwell-coordinated strategy that uti-lizes all local capabilities in an ef-ficient manner.

The proposed strategy for sup-porting institutional strengthen-ing and capacity building isphased, and is directly supportiveof the overall strategy for recon-struction of the education sector.

A scene inside MOE: most of the ministry’s furniture and equipment was damaged, looted, or vandalized.

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The first phase of reconstruction assistance, starting im-mediately, should focus on emergency support for key func-tions and decisions, providing space and support for thedevelopment of long-term plans. This phase will supportleadership and management, key planning and coordinat-ing functions, immediate technical and material assistanceto critical operations, and long-term sector planning lead-ing to specific strategies and implementation plans for eachsubsector. The second phase will be to implement thesubsector plans. Each of the immediate priorities is dis-cussed below.

Leadership and management support includes tech-nical and material assistance for the effective functioningof the minister’s and deputy ministers’ offices in provid-ing vision and operational guidelines to line MOE de-partments as well as provincial offices. The leadershipcadres in MOE and MOHE are mostly new and inexpe-rienced in managing large organizations. Assistance canbe provided in establishing regular procedures and mecha-nisms in support of core management functions. Thisshould include such elements as team building, settingpriorities, developing and implementing interim policies,establishing operational relationships with provincial of-ficials, interministerial coordination mechanisms, and basicoperations. This support should include technical assistance,training, staffing (by seconding or assigning key personnel),equipment and supplies, and transportation.

Support is urgently needed for critical operations.While some of these functions may be subject to reformover the medium or long term, immediate attention mustbe given to improving current operations. They are criti-cal to the ability of MOE to function on a day-to-daybasis. Among the highest-priority operations requiring im-mediate support are budget and finance, personnel man-agement, coordination with external funding agencies,planning, and school construction. The support shouldinclude TA (and/or assignment of highly qualified Afghansin managerial positions through seconding), training,equipment and supplies, and transportation as needed.

Basic rehabilitation of MOE and the PEOs is essen-tial to enable MOE to function effectively. This includesrehabilitation of office spaces, utilities (water and elec-tricity), communication and transportation equipment,office furniture and furnishings, and supplies. Computersand training should be provided where possible.

Detailed sector assessment should be completed and astrategic planning process put in place. The challenge of re-building the education sector is too complex to be addressed

adequately in such a short time. The development of a fullsector plan will involve multiple processes:· Gathering quality information about the school sys-

tem through an Education Management InformationSystem (EMIS);

· Building a better understanding of educational needsand opportunities through a community educationalresource survey;

· Facilitating planning and subsector workshops withcenter and provincial participation to review optionsand develop proposals;

· Paying visits to comparable education systems to as-sess the applicability of different approaches;

· Providing TA in specific areas; and· Developing detailed subsector strategies, plans, bud-

gets, and implementation schedules that will form thebasis for the major educational development invest-ments in Afghanistan.

This will be completed in a structured process under theleadership of a steering committee of MOE and MOHE.Each subsector team will be jointly led by an MOE offi-cial and a consultant provided by an external funding agencyor NGO.

The second phase of assistance will start after the sec-tor and subsector planning is completed. Based on thesedetailed subsector program strategies and developmentplans, the Government and the external funding commu-nity will decide on priorities and implement projects.Among the components of Phase II high-impact projectsmay be· curriculum and textbook development;· teacher education and training;· assessment;· construction;· improving the quality of education;· expansion of the secondary school system;· vocational and technical education;· nonformal education;· school management;· system governance and institutional strengthening at

provincial, district, and/or central levels;· development of management systems (information,

financial, budgeting, human resource, evaluation); and· tertiary education development.While some investments and capacity building will havealready been initiated in some of these areas, the majorinvestments will be built on the strategic development plansdeveloped by the new Government.



29

Assistance will be extended to MOE to support itsdevelopment of a comprehensive sector strategyfor all levels of the educational system. This will

include an institutional analysis and sector work to gainin-depth knowledge of the sector, its potentials, and itsdevelopment requirements, including identification of op-portunities for women’s leadership roles in education. Sup-port will be provided to MOE and lower levels of thesystem for coordination, planning, management, and moni-toring of school reconstruction activities. This will be un-dertaken with involvement of communities and will have aholistic focus, including aspects such as construction ofbuildings, provision of equipment and materials, deploy-

CHAPTER IV

WORK PLAN FOR SECTORPLANNING AND CAPACITYBUILDING

ment of teachers, and financing. These activities will con-tribute to the following goals: formulation of a policy frame-work; a plan for an institutional structure to support andimplement those policies; specific work plans to imple-ment each element of the system at the central, provincial,and school levels (curriculum revision, professional devel-opment, administration and financial management, schoolmanagement, guidelines for community participation, in-formation and monitoring systems); and a financing plan.The implementation of the work plan will be supportedthrough the QIPs presented in the Appendix.

The projected schedule is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Work Plan Schedule for Sector Planning and Capacity BuildingFigure 1. Work Plan Schedule for Sector Planning and Capacity BuildingFigure 1. Work Plan Schedule for Sector Planning and Capacity BuildingFigure 1. Work Plan Schedule for Sector Planning and Capacity BuildingFigure 1. Work Plan Schedule for Sector Planning and Capacity Building

2 0 0 2

Establish steering committesWorkshop/civil society consultationsField visitsAnalysis, options, planning

– policy framework– plan for institutional structure– curriculum revision– orofessional development– administration and financial manage-

ment– school management– community participation– information systems– work plans for implementation– financing plan

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Work Plan


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Investments in the restoration of the education systemare likely to account for a large portion of theGovernment’s budget in the next few years. The in-

vestments must be made efficiently and effectively on thebasis of sound interim policies and strategies. The follow-ing discussion on investment in education addresses twoelements: recurrent costs and QIPs. As the key variablesdetermining recurrent costs—number of employees andplanned salary levels—are both undetermined, a firm num-ber cannot be identified. Therefore, the analysis describesthe current estimate of recurrent costs and scenarios, dem-onstrating how changes will affect the cost structure. Forthe proposed QIPs listed, commitments by external fund-ing agencies are identified whenever possible. These tablesare unavoidably incomplete, as not all commitments areknown and some external funding agencies have still notfinalized plans.

Recurrent CostsRecurrent costs will be the largest single expense of

the education sector, exceeding development and capitalexpenses by a considerable margin in any given year. As inmany developing countries, MOE is the largest civil ser-vice employer, so changes in employment or salary levelsin education significantly affect the level of governmentspending. A budget planning exercise is currently under-way by the Civil Service Commission to estimate a sus-tainable recurrent budget level for Afghanistan. The twomajor elements affecting the budget are salaries and thenumber of employees, both of which are in flux.

Remuneration

The present system is a remnant of a prior salary struc-ture in which salary was supplemented by nonsalary remu-

neration, such as allowances for food, transportation, and othercosts. Originally, salary represented the largest part of the re-muneration, but over the years, it has shrunk to a small fractionof the total. A current teacher’s salary, which has not been paidfor more than 6 months, averages about $41.00 per month, ofwhich $2.46 is salary and $38.54 are for food and other allow-ances. Professional personnel currently receive about$44.67 per month, while service workers receive about$40.00 per month.

As noted above, the best estimate of the current MOEstaffing level is 66,000, while the MOE staffing chart from1996 indicates approved staffing levels of 75,464. This rangeof estimates comprises about 33–37% of the estimated num-ber of all civil service employees in fiscal year 2003.3

Specific data on staffing and remuneration levels inhigher education are not available. As is the case in MOE,it is assumed that MOHE will employ personnel at the1996 staffing levels (pre-Taliban). In 1990, UNESCOcounted about 1,300 secondary teaching personnel. As-suming that this teaching force grew at about 5% per year,there would have been about 1,500 teachers in 1995. It isfurther assumed that one third are paid at the teacher level,while the rest are paid at the professional level, and that thefull-time teaching force is complemented by 500 additional

CHAPTER IV

INVESTMENT PLAN

2 Pay and Employment Model, as of 7 February 2002.3 A total of 200,000 civil servants, according to the Afghanistan Recurrent

Budget estimate, February 2002.

TTTTTable 5. Aable 5. Aable 5. Aable 5. Aable 5. Average Monthly Remuneration Scaleverage Monthly Remuneration Scaleverage Monthly Remuneration Scaleverage Monthly Remuneration Scaleverage Monthly Remuneration Scale

Source: Ministry of Education Pay andEmployment model, as of 7 February 2002.

CurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent Proposed Proposed Proposed Proposed Proposed

Professional $44.7 $160

Teachers $41.0 $80

Service $40.0 $40

Investment Plan


part-time instructors. A different scenario for planningenvisions 5,100 total personnel distributed in the sameproportion across the personnel grades. Thus, for estimat-ing MOHE’s recurrent costs, the distribution of person-nel is as shown in Table 6.

Recurrent Budget Scenarios

Table 7 demonstrates the impact of different budget-ing and staffing assumptions on the recurrent cost struc-ture. The costs include salary and estimated operationsand maintenance costs of 15% of salary. Teacher salariesin Scenario 2 will be a living wage. As the table illustrates,the impact of increased staffing and salary increases is sub-stantial, increasing annual costs for the MOE from $38million to $83 million, and the costs for higher educationfrom $1.5 million to $7.2 million. At the higher staffingand salary levels, the annual recurrent costs of educationwould be about $90 million in total.

At the base staffing and salary levels, the educationsector represents approximately 23% of the estimated gov-ernment personnel services costs in the operating budget.At the higher staffing and salary levels, education repre-sents up to 44% of total estimated government personnelservices expenditures.

Education expenditures are normally measured in twoways—as a share of total central government expenditures(not only wages), and as a share of gross national product(GNP). The proportion of education in total governmentexpenditures varies widely among countries—from a low

of around 5% in South Asia to a high of close to 20% inEast Asia and the Pacific. No historical data are availableabout the relative proportion of education in the nationalbudget in Afghanistan. Clearly, Afghanistan will have todevote a substantial portion of its budget to education tomake up for the deficit of past years.

The most recent data from Afghanistan on educationas a percentage of GNP, dating from 1981, indicated a verylow investment in education of 1.8% of gross national in-come4—well below the already poor regional average inSouth Asia of 3.1%.5 It is reasonable to assume that educa-tion will be an important priority for Afghanistan and, assuch, will merit an investment of at least 3% of GNP. How-ever, it is difficult to project a meaningful GNP for Af-ghanistan, where virtually all productive assets have beendamaged. Some proportional estimates can be made. The lastreasonably reliable estimate of gross domestic product (GDP)in Afghanistan was $3.7 billion in 1979, when the populationwas estimated at 15 million. Recurrent expenditures of $90million in education would represent 3% of a projected GDPof $2.9 billion for 23 million people, or less than half of theequivalent per capita income of 1979, when Afghanistan wasone of the poorest countries in the world.

From these comparisons, it is clear that the projectedlevels of expenditure are reasonable in relation to the pro-jected economy, and, by these standards, could be substan-tially increased. A recovered Afghan economy operatingat even the low per capita economic level of 1979 wouldhave a GNP of almost $6 billion, which could justify edu-cation expenditures of more than $180 million. However,

such normal standards maynot apply in Afghanistan,which for the next severalyears will be dependent onexternal funding agency sup-port even for core recurrentcosts. Therefore, the func-tional limit on investment ineducation and the potentialfor expansion of the systemdepends on external fundingagency contributions and theproportion of such contribu-tions available for education.

4World Bank Development Indicators,2001.

5These percentages are normally allnational expenditures and include bothcapital and recurrent costs, but notsupport from international aid.

ExpandedExpandedExpandedExpandedExpanded

2,971

7,235

TTTTTable 7. Impact of Incrable 7. Impact of Incrable 7. Impact of Incrable 7. Impact of Incrable 7. Impact of Increased Stafeased Stafeased Stafeased Stafeased Staffing and Salary Levelsfing and Salary Levelsfing and Salary Levelsfing and Salary Levelsfing and Salary Levels

Salary Level ($’000Salary Level ($’000Salary Level ($’000Salary Level ($’000Salary Level ($’000

Scenario 1

Current Salary Levels

Scenario 2

Proposed Salary Levels (year 2)

ExpandedExpandedExpandedExpandedExpandedBaseBaseBaseBaseBase

37,695

76,796

BaseBaseBaseBaseBase

1,45842,866

82,979

MOE Staffing LevelMOE Staffing LevelMOE Staffing LevelMOE Staffing LevelMOE Staffing Level MOHE Staffing LevelMOHE Staffing LevelMOHE Staffing LevelMOHE Staffing LevelMOHE Staffing Level


3,590

ExpandedExpandedExpandedExpandedExpanded

2,971

7,235

Personnel GradePersonnel GradePersonnel GradePersonnel GradePersonnel Grade

Professionals

Teachers

Service/Manual

ExpandedExpandedExpandedExpandedExpanded(5,100 staff)(5,100 staff)(5,100 staff)(5,100 staff)(5,100 staff)

2,000

2,000

1,000

ExpandedExpandedExpandedExpandedExpanded(75,464 staff)(75,464 staff)(75,464 staff)(75,464 staff)(75,464 staff)

BaseBaseBaseBaseBase(66,000 staff)(66,000 staff)(66,000 staff)(66,000 staff)(66,000 staff)

11,130

39,629

15,241

BaseBaseBaseBaseBase(2,500 staff)(2,500 staff)(2,500 staff)(2,500 staff)(2,500 staff)

7,764

51,445

15,255

1,000

1,500

500

MOE Staffing LevelMOE Staffing LevelMOE Staffing LevelMOE Staffing LevelMOE Staffing Level MOHE Staffing LevelMOHE Staffing LevelMOHE Staffing LevelMOHE Staffing LevelMOHE Staffing Level

TTTTTable 6. Distribution of Education Stafable 6. Distribution of Education Stafable 6. Distribution of Education Stafable 6. Distribution of Education Stafable 6. Distribution of Education Staff Acrf Acrf Acrf Acrf Across Personnel Gradesoss Personnel Gradesoss Personnel Gradesoss Personnel Gradesoss Personnel Grades


33

Quick Impact ProjectProposals

The overall strategy proposed by the Government andMOE, and endorsed by the CNA Mission, is to expandaccess to educational services to a broad swath of Afghansociety—children, youth, and adults—as rapidly as pos-sible through multiple delivery mechanisms. The essen-tial process of long-term planning and improvement ofeducational quality will be implemented in a paralleltimeframe. The guiding principles for the initial invest-ments are stated in the first section of this report, includ-ing the recommended priorities for the next 2 years.

The CNA mission identified specific activities aspriority investments. Programs that have been namedfor funding, or have already been funded, by one or moreof the external funding agencies represented in the

group, are identified. It should be emphasized that thisdoes not capture all external funding agency support, asmany agencies are currently in the process of definingtheir programmatic areas and developing a strategy formoving from emergency to reconstruction assistance.The proposals are generally organized by subsector foractivities that support direct service delivery. Capacitybuilding is classified separately, although the bulk ofinstitution-building activities supports primary and sec-ondary education.

The Appendix contains narrative descriptions of theQIPs (project profiles). It identifies just over $148 mil-lion in priority programs, over and above recurrent coststhat must be the first priority. The proposed projects areheavily weighted toward basic education—and are evenmore so when the bulk of the institution-building programsare counted as supporting primary and secondary educa-tion. Tertiary education also requires a significant level ofinvestment. The proposed funding indicates that the voca-tional/adult/youth sector has need of more sources of funds.

Investment Plan


35

INTERIM COORDINATIONMECHANISM FOR EXTERNALFUNDING AGENCIES

CHAPTER VI

Interim Coordination Mechanism

The AACA emphasizes the importance of ensuringAfghan leadership in education sector development,facilitated by effective coordination among external

funding agencies. The CNA Mission agrees that the AACAshould continue to play the key role in coordination as thefirst point of contact for all external partners.

The Mission clearly sees the need for greatly strength-ened capacity for such coordination in the education sec-tor. The Mission recommends the establishment ofcoordination units in MOE and MOHE to provide aneffective mechanism for improving the collaboration andcoordination of external funding agencies across activi-ties and regions to avoid duplication of effort and the pro-liferation of alternative philosophies. This unit would haveseveral purposes:· To reduce the burden of multiple and overlapping vis-

its to ministry officials by directly providing informa-tion;

· To facilitate setting up meetings;

· To identify and effectively communicate com-mon external funding agency issues and concernsrelated to ministry policies, and arrange for min-istry mechanisms to address such concerns;

· To encourage alignment of external fundingagency activities with ministry policies; and

· To establish common monitoring, reporting,procurement, disbursement, accounting, andimplementation procedures to the extent pos-sible.The CNA Mission also recommends the estab-

lishment of an NGO coordination unit in MOE.The functions of this unit would be similar to thosefor aid provider coordination, but would also betasked with developing both immediate operationalmechanisms to make NGO activities an extension ofMOE programs, and a long-term policy, strategy,and regulatory framework to bring NGO activitiesmore fully under the umbrella of the Ministry.


37

Early ChildhoodDevelopment

Project 1. Young Child Play Kits

Objective. To develop a culturally relevant set ofplay and learning materials for children between1 and 6 years of age growing up in difficult times,

and show parents and other caregivers how the materialscan be used to stimulate their children’s motor skills, lan-guage, thinking, and creativity. Although it is a positivepreventive intervention designed to reach as many youngchildren as possible, several high-risk target populationswill be identified: children suffering from malnutrition(research has shown that weight gain is increased whenmalnourished children are provided with appropriate so-cial and psychological interactions in addition to food),disabled and hospitalized children, and those living in refu-gee and internally displaced persons camps.

Scope. One million kits will be developed. The num-ber of Afghan children in this age group is estimated at 2.5million.

Budget Estimate. $5 million.Implementing Agency. Ministry of Public Health

(MPH), Ministry of Education (MOE).Implementation Plan. The kits will be distributed

through several channels including feeding centers, theUnited Nations High Commission for Refugees, andmaternal and child clinics. The Back to School logisticalnetwork might also be utilized to reach the younger sib-lings of primary school children. A simple parent orienta-tion session will also be designed.

Timetable. The play kits will be designed and de-veloped in the first 3 months of Year 1. Production will

begin as soon as possible, followed by a rapid distributionsystem utilizing existing channels.

Project 2. Child DevelopmentCommunication Strategy

Objective. To enhance early child development bysupporting parents in their role as primary caregiversthrough a series of radio spot and supportive print materi-als—e.g. posters, banners, leaflets—that provide parentswith the essential knowledge strategies and resources forenhancing children’s growth and development during thefirst 6 years of life.

Scope. Using a positive and interactive style, the ra-dio spots will convey information on aspects of children’ssocial, emotional, language, motor, and cognitive develop-ment, integrated with essential health and nutritional in-formation, and incorporate information derived from for-mative research techniques and specifically designed to ad-dress pressing concerns of Afghan parents. In addition tothe parent materials, a series of radio programs designedto foster and stimulate young children’s creativity and so-cial, emotional, and language skills is also proposed. Tech-nical assistance, provided by the BBC, will build on thesuccess of the existing radio program “New Life, NewHome.” A community facilitators’ package will be de-signed to encourage group listening and discussion.

Budget Estimate. $2 million.Implementing Agency. Given the interdisciplinary

nature of the information contained in the campaign, sev-eral agencies will work in collaboration with Radio Kabul,including MOE and the MPH. A collaborative interdis-ciplinary working group can be established to ensure thatthe content blends what is known about environments thatenhance child development with traditional childrearingpractices in a manner that resonates with the family and

APPENDIX

QUICK-IMPACT PROJECTS:PROJECT PROFILES

Appendix


community. Printed materials will be distributed throughprograms with direct access to families with young chil-dren, including maternal and child health clinics, nutri-tion and feeding programs, and community service agen-cies.

Timetable. An initial 2-year funding cycle is pro-posed. Year 1 will include the design and development ofprint and radio programs. Implementation will begin inYear 2, the development of additional print and radio ma-terial for and about children will continue in Year 2.

Project 3. Mother and Young ChildLearning Centers

Objective. Given the intersecting educational needsof young woman aged 13–24—especially those whoseeducation was interrupted or never began—and their youngchildren, a nationwide strategy of maternal and young childlearning centers is proposed. The objective is to provideyoung children with stimulating early learning opportu-nities while enabling their mothers to participate in a care-fully designed basic nonformal education and life skillsprogram.

Scope. The long-term goal is to develop a system ofmaternal and early child learning centers as neededthroughout Afghanistan. The quality of basic educationprovided in the centers will be ensured by a set of learningstandards that will enable the students to obtain formalacademic credit. Specific learning materials can be devel-oped that address childcare and development issues as wellas other relevant and practical life skills. With set lessonplans, teachers and facilitators with modest qualificationscan easily use the competency-based learning materials.Linkages with community health services would be estab-lished to ensure children’s physical growth and nutrition.

Budget Estimate. $15 million over a 5-year pe-riod. The first 2 years of planning and piloting will cost$0.3 million. A detailed project proposal will need to bedeveloped following an initial needs assessment.

Implementing Agency. MOE, in collaborationwith the Ministry of Woman’s Affairs (MWA). It is pro-posed that MOE be responsible for overall policy devel-opment, planning, and management. A unit within KabulUniversity could be developed to establish an overall sys-tem of pre- and in-service training through a network ofregional and provincial training centers. MWA as well asinterested nongovernment organizations (NGOs) couldestablish and implement programs in accordance with thetraining and standards set by MOE.

Implementation Plan. After a 2-year assessmentand planning phase, the proposed imitative will be imple-mented over a 5-year period. The first year will consist ofthree major planning/preparation activities, including aninternational early childhood development workshop,needs assessment, and development of vision/policy in sup-port of young Afghan children and their families. In thesecond year, efforts will focus on the development of youngchild learning materials as well as child provider trainingprograms. The basic nonformal competency learning-basedpackage for young mothers will also be produced. Two tothree model pilot sites will be established in Kabul by theend of year 2.

Basic Education

Project 1. Education Sector SupportProgram (Including Back to SchoolCampaign Years 1 and 2)

Objectives. To meet the strong demand for educa-tion in Afghanistan today by (i) strengthening the capacityof MOE to provide quality primary and secondary educa-tion to Afghan children; (ii) by supporting MOE in imple-menting a large back-to-school campaign aimed at increas-ing access; (iii) providing materials support for teachersand students, teacher training, and basic upgrading of edu-cational facilities; and (iv) improving the quality of pri-mary and secondary education for all Afghan schoolchil-dren, with a focus on girls and female teachers, from thebeginning of the new school year (23 March 2002).

Scope. Nationwide, implemented through existingMOE channels, provincial education departments, andNGOs, with technical and logistical support from theUnited Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Components and Key Activities1. Back to School Campaign. This component includes the

procurement, packaging and distribution of essential edu-cation supplies and competency-based learning materi-als for 2.7 million primary students, teachers, and schools,including—on a needs basis—blackboards and floormats. The distribution of the materials and textbooks cre-ated by the University of Nebraska at Omaha will beundertaken in a phased, demand-led manner. Learningmaterials will also be provided for the next school year. Amultimedia information, advocacy, and awareness cam-paign about MOE’s Back to School program will bedeveloped in collaboration with local and international

39

radio, local television, community and religious leaders,the United Nations, and NGOs. MOE will lead aninformation campaign focused on girls.

2. Teacher Support. This component will develop andimplement a rapid multimedia teacher orientationprogram on the use of competency-based materialsand kits for teachers and education personnel. Aphased program of training of trainers and teacherorientation workshops will be implemented through-out 2002. Technical assistance will be provided toMOE to develop and disseminate temporary teacherselection criteria, and to develop and implement acompetency-based teacher selection test.

3. Support to Secondary Education. This component willprocure and package kits of essential education sup-plies and learning materials for an estimated 400,000secondary students, teachers, and schools. A packageof appropriate furnishings and equipment will be de-veloped in collaboration with MOE and other ap-propriate technical partners, such as the United Na-tions Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organiza-tion (UNESCO) and furnished to secondary schools.

4. Safe Learning Spaces. Small-scale rehabilitation willbe undertaken in selected urban and rural schools, amajority of them girls’ schools, in partnership withcommunity-based organizations. Temporary sheltermaterials will be provided to schools, in particular tocommunity-initiated schools for girls. Technical sup-port will be given to MOE to develop guidelines forthe development of safe and child/girl-friendly learn-ing spaces and standards for school construction incollaboration with key partners involved (UNESCO,other United Nations agencies, NGOs).

5. System and Institutional Development. MOE, pro-vincial education offices (PEOs), and district educa-tion offices (DEOs) will be provided with basic fur-nishings, equipment, and supplies. Assistance will beextended to MOE in bringing in Afghan expertisethrough a program of seconding Afghan educators toother organizations, in collaboration with UNESCOand NGOs. Technical assistance will be provided toMOE in different aspects of system design and thedevelopment of interim guidelines/policy, includingsupport for the finalization of an Afghan EducationManagement Information System (EMIS), in col-laboration with UNESCO and NGO partners.Teacher support and training will be carried over into

the Quick Impact Project (QIP) 3, Quality In-ServicePrimary Teacher Training, under Direct Support to BasicEducation. Technical support to MOE for school reha-

bilitation and for system and institutional development,including the development of an EMIS system, is includedin QIP 4, Capacity Building in MOE, under InstitutionalStrengthening.

Implementing Agency. MOE, with technical, ad-ministrative, and logistical support from UNICEF.

Estimated Budget. $ 47.5 million. The breakdownis as follows: Back to School Campaign, $17.1 million;Teacher Support, $1.6 million; Support to Secondary Edu-cation, $12.5 million; Safe Learning Spaces, $10.3 mil-lion; and System and Institutional Development, $6 mil-lion. Approximately $23 million has been committed andapproximately $24 million more is needed. Expendituresstarted from December 2001.

Proposed Implementation Plan. The Back toSchool Campaign began in late 2001 with activities inten-sifying for the 23 March 2002 launch. Activities will con-tinue until the beginning of the next academic year in 2003.The support for secondary education is for the year 2002only. Teacher support and the technical support for schoolrehabilitation and system and institutional developmentwill merge with the QIPs as described in point 5 above.

Project 2. Community-Based BasicEducation Rehabilitation

Objective. To provide financial support for cost-ef-ficient rehabilitation of the 80% of Afghan schools esti-mated to be in urgent need of repair and for furniture, edu-cational supplies, and equipment in these schools.

Scope. The project will include funding for (i) reha-bilitation and construction of primary and secondaryschools, and (ii) procurement and distribution of schoolfurniture, teaching and administrative equipment, andteacher housing (especially in remote areas) for schoolsthat are rehabilitated or constructed under the project.

Budget Estimate. $12 million: $8 million (AsianDevelopment Bank; $4 million (Islamic DevelopmentBank).

Implementing/Executing Agency. MOE.Proposed Implementation Arrangements. Plan-

ning and implementation will be coordinated with theMinistry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Pub-lic Works. MOE will outsource rehabilitation and con-struction activities to NGOs and private organizations,and will oversee and monitor the activities.

Timetable. The project will commence during thesecond quarter of 2002, and will be implemented over an18-month period. It will be closely coordinated with the

Appendix


accomplishments of a technical assistance project in thissame area.

Project 3. Quality In-Service PrimaryTeacher Training

Objective. To support the development and imme-diate implementation of a coordinated, integrated in-ser-vice training program for teachers already in service thatintroduces effective learning and teaching strategies fo-cusing on the quality of student learning. Building on thisfirst phase, a longer-term (2 years) second phase will de-velop and implement on an experimental basis an in-ser-vice teacher training strategy and model that relates tocurriculum reform (planned by MOE) and that will havea measurable impact on children’s learning.

Scope. Nationwide. Approximately 5,000 primaryschool teachers will benefit from the project, with an em-phasis on the inclusion of women teachers. The secondphase will be expanded into a third phase to implement thenew model nationwide (for which additional funding willbe needed). In developing the new model, the possibilitiesof using distance education modes of delivery will be ex-plored.

Components and Key Activities1. Program Management. This component will develop

an operational partnership between MOE and theNGOs to provide a common in-service teacher sup-port and training program in all areas. This will in-clude developing a coordination mechanism, staffing,and equipping the responsible office in the MOEteacher training division, and conducting joint pro-gramming and implementation in both MOE andNGO schools. The management component will in-clude a monitoring and evaluation procedure that willbe used to assess the impact of the training programsand different delivery models. The capacity in theMOE teacher training department to coordinate anddirect a national in-service teacher training and de-velopment program will be strengthened through na-tional and NGO resources, and working through thePEOs. Core teams in each province will be recruited,equipped, and trained to implement the 10-day pro-gram and the new training module in the districtswhere it is implemented.

2. Development of a Common 10-Day Training Mod-ule. The project will develop and test alternative meansof delivering teacher training and supporting teacherdevelopment, including cascade training, cluster

school training, school-based training teams (princi-pal, teachers, supervisor), mobile training and sup-port teams, microteaching workshops, regional train-ing workshops, peer training/reflection, distance edu-cation, or other approaches as needed. Ideally, jointMOE-NGO-PEO teams should implement the pro-gram. Regardless of the delivery mode, the trainingwill utilize a common set of training materials andapproaches covering a minimum set of competenciesand agreed content. All training materials and activi-ties will incorporate classroom practices that promotegender equity as well as ethnic and sectarian equity.

3. Implementation of a Nationwide 10-Day TeacherTraining Module. This component will implementprovince-specific training that provides an estimated10 days of training for every teacher. This may includeboth direct workshop-style training and distance train-ing, school-based workshops, or other forms. All train-ing, whether directly implemented by the project orby other agencies, will be coordinated by the MOEtraining department.

4. Implementation of the Experimental Training Mod-ule in Selected Schools. This component will includeassessment of teachers’ entry knowledge, skills andcompetencies; teacher training; supervisory support;and feedback sessions. The training package will berevised and finalized for nationwide implementation.Implementing/Executing Agency. The MOE

teacher training department, with technical assistance andlogistical and administrative support from UNICEF. Theproject will be implemented through PEO offices andoperating grants to NGOs.

Proposed Budget. $7 million over 2 years. No fund-ing has been identified yet.

Proposed Implementation Plan. The project willbe initiated as soon as funding and agreements can be ar-ranged and will be implemented over a 2-year period.

Project 4. Second-Chance Educationfor Out-of-School Children, Youth,and Hard-to-Reach Populations

Objective. To develop a framework and coordina-tion mechanism to enable joint action by government andnongovernment entities to deliver accepted and recognizededucation to children and youth who have not been en-rolled in school, or who have suffered significant interrup-tion in their education. This activity would support joint

41

MOE/NGO refinement of teaching materials, testing ofmaterials, and training of teachers in their use.

Scope. National in scale, implemented through mul-tiple delivery mechanisms.

Components and Key Activities1. Program Management and Policy Development. The

project will (i) establish assessment procedures foraccepting educational outcomes and awarding formaleducation certificates that provide opportunities foremployment or further education; (ii) establish andsupport a collaborative mechanism for grant recipi-ents to develop training materials and to share train-ing costs; and (iii) develop and implement a monitor-ing and evaluation system to assess effectiveness, effi-ciency, and outcomes, and to inform follow-up policydecisions.

2. Grant Program for Accelerated Education Programs.The project will provide grant support for specified typesof educational programs established by asteering com-mittee, including accelerated primary and secondary pro-grams, literacy training, “second chance” programs, andtargeting of specific hard-to-reach groups, among oth-ers. The program will include core operating and pro-gram support for activities implemented by the MWAand the MOE Department of Literacy and, throughthem, to NGOs and private groups who apply for grants.Implementing Agency. Under the leadership of a

steering committee, the program will be implementedthrough project offices in the MOE Department of Lit-eracy Affairs and the MWA. Support for project manage-ment, technical assistance, grant management, and finan-cial management will be provided through a contractedorganization (NGO) selected through a competitive pro-cess.

Budget Estimate. $5 million for 2 years, brokendown into technical assistance, $750,000; operational sup-port/capacity building, $1 million; program grants (20grants @ $150,000), $3 million; and monitoring and evalu-ation, $250,000.

Project 5. Primary Curriculum andLearning Materials Development

Objective. This project will support MOE’s cur-riculum review and reforms process, including the devel-opment of a new national curriculum and the develop-ment of textbooks and other learning materials that imple-ment the new curriculum.

Scope. The project will support the work of the cur-riculum committee under the Department of Translationand Compilation. A major emphasis will be on the inclu-sion of competency-based criteria in curriculum and ma-terials development. Learning materials will be field-testedin selected schools and revised accordingly. The projectwill build on the work already undertaken by the curricu-lum committee and on the curriculum development tech-nical assistance support provided by the QIP on Institu-tional Strengthening, under Capacity Building of MOE,and will complement curriculum reforms in the secondarysector. Training of teachers in the content of the new na-tional curriculum and the use of learning materials will beundertaken as part of the QIP on Quality In-Service Pri-mary Teacher Training.

Components and Key Activities1. Technical Support. This component will provide tech-

nical assistance to (i) review currently used and for-merly used curricula and related learning materials,(ii) formulate a national curriculum framework thatwill meet the needs of Afghanistan’s primary schoolchildren, and (iii) develop primary school textbooksand learning materials based on the newly developednational curriculum.

2. Field Testing and Revision. Textbooks and learningmaterials will be field-tested to ensure that they areappropriate and effective. Textbooks and learningmaterials will be revised based on the results of thefield testing.

3. Coordination. The project will be coordinated withMOE’s training department to ensure that the con-tents of the national curriculum are included in allfuture initial and in-service teacher training.Implementing/Executing Agency. MOE’s De-

partment of Translation and Compilation, with technicalassistance and administrative support from UNICEF.

Budget Estimate. $1 million over 2 years. No fund-ing has been identified yet.

Proposed Implementation Plan. The work of thecurriculum committee is already underway, and UNICEFis committed to provide technical assistance supportthrough the QIP on Capacity Building of MOE. Work onall the components will be undertaken as soon as funds areavailable.

Appendix


Higher Education

Project 1. Strategic Planning andTechnical Assistance for the Ministryof Higher Education (MOHE)

Objective. To assist the Ministry of Higher Educa-tion (MOHE) in planning for the rehabilitation and revi-talization of higher education in Afghanistan.

Scope. ADB will provide a principal consultant tothe minister who will draw on specialized short-term ex-pertise as needed for specific tasks. The consultant willassist MOHE management to develop a comprehensiveplan for higher education in Afghanistan, including therevitalization of existing faculties, the rationalization ofthe national higher education network, and an assessmentof the appropriateness of developing a community col-lege-type system for Afghanistan. The project will develop1. a Master Plan for reconstruction and revitalization,

within the context of the long-term comprehensiveplan;

2. a budget for operation of the ministry, with a means ofincorporating and integrating development expendi-tures;

3. procedures for financial management, accounting, andauditing for use in each of the entities of higher educa-tion, within a comprehensive budget for the highereducation system;

4. policy and operational plans for insuring regional andgender equity and access;

5. a proposal for providing remedial education and ad-ditional support to bring dropouts back into the highereducation system and increase the number of eligibleapplicants; and

6. a proposal and feasibility analysis for use of self-study,distance education, satellite facilities, and technologyto produce a cost-effective increase in access.The financial management system will include devel-

opment of capacity in both budget formulation and execu-tion. Options for financing the higher education system,including alternatives for revenue generation (chargingtuition, conducting research, faculty/university consultingservices, business support services, etc.) will be assessed.

Estimated Budget. $850,000 funded by ADB.Implementing Agency. MOHE.Implementation Plan. Implementation is for 18

months and will commence during the second half of 2002.

Project 2. Higher Education RevivalProject

Objective. To assist MOHE in addressing the mostimmediate needs related to physical rehabilitation, insti-tutional capacity building, and policy development.

Scope. This project comprises (i) rehabilitation ofMOHE, universities, and colleges, including faculties andhostels; (ii) institutional capacity building in MOHE,including policy development; (iii) institutional capacitybuilding at selected faculties; and (iv) recurrent cost fi-nancing.

Budget Estimate. Estimated total budget is $12.33million, distributed as follows: rehabilitation, $7.3 mil-lion; institutional capacity building, $4.4 million; andpolicy dialogue, $0.63 million.

Implementing Agency. AACA, executing agency;MOHE, implementing agency.

Proposed Implementation Plan. The grant wouldbe disbursed in the 18 months following the effectivenessof the grant. The details of the implementation are still tobe elaborated.

Proposed Financing Arrangement. ADB wouldfinance $0.85 million of the institutional capacity buildingcomponent. The World Bank would finance the rehabili-tation component, the remainder of the institutional ca-pacity building component, and the policy dialogue com-ponent.

Technical, Vocational,Youth, and AdultEducation and Skills Training

Project 1. Skills Training and Em-ployment for Women and Girls

Objective. To provide job-related skills training andemployment for widows, young women, and other womencontributing to family income.

Scope. This project will target widows and women whohave no support base and are physically fit to learn a skillquickly to help them become economically productive andprovide support to their families; in so doing, they will alsoparticipate in the rehabilitation of the traditional trades. Askills training center for traditional skills will be establishedand linked to a marketing cooperative to display and sell the

43

merchandise produced. The program will start in Kabul, butwill then expand to other major cities. Technical expertisewill be provided from both Afghan and external sources toestablish effective training programs, quality control, and co-operative management. While the primary focus of the pro-gram will be skills and employment, the centers will also pro-vide space and support for literacy and/or accelerated educa-tion programs to facilitate access. The project will financestart-up costs, equipment and training, and 2–3 years of op-erations, at which time the revenues from sales will cover thefixed costs.

Components and Key Activities1. Skills Training Centers. The project will support train-

ing and product development in four crafts: (i) knit-ting, (ii) cloth/silk weaving, (iii) tailoring, and (iv)carpet weaving. The project will also support the pur-chase of equipment, hiring and training of staff, re-cruitment, product design and quality control, andmarketing through the cooperative.

2. Small Loans for Graduates. The project will providegraduates with loans as needed to purchase their ownequipment for working at home and selling their workthrough the cooperative.

3. Cooperative Management. The centers will providea cooperative structure to sell the work of the studentsand graduates.Budget Estimate. $1 million, covering costs of

materials, space, technical assistance, cooperative operat-ing costs, personnel, and management.

Implementing Agency. MWA to supervise. Collabo-ration with relevant NGOs in the respective regions will beundertaken. MWA has developed initial budgets and plans;the first part of the project will be to finalize these.

Timetable. The project will commence as soon asfunding is made available, estimated by August 2002. Thefirst two centers will be established in 2002 and the secondtwo in 2003. The first classes will start in October.

Project 2. Nonformal Education forYoung Women and Girls, with EarlyChildhood Development

Objective. To support women and girls who havenot been able to access education opportunities over re-cent years, specifically young women who lack basic lit-eracy, including those with young children who would ben-efit from ECD activities.

Scope. The project will (i) address literacy and basiceducation requirements of adolescent girls and young

women aged 15–24 years through nonformal classes forliteracy acquisition, and (ii) provide young children withearly learning opportunities. Existing literacy programswill be scaled up. NGOs implementing literacy programswill also provide early childcare facilities, activities, andappropriate instructional and play materials for the youngchildren of the literacy learners. Technical support will beprovided by UNICEF to develop ECD literacy materialfor use in classes focusing on home-based ECD approaches.

Budget Estimate. $2.6 million, funded by the WorldBank.

Implementing Agency. MOE, contracting ar-rangements through NGOs and UNICEF.

Project 3. Technical and VocationalEducation and Training SectorDevelopment

Objective. To systematically build up the institutionalcapability for establishing—virtually from scratch—aNational Program of Technical and Vocational Education(NPTVE), and to develop the capacity to formulate apolicy framework on TVE training. This project will sup-port the systematic development of a comprehensive andmodern national TVE program.

Scope. In defining the scope and identifyingNPTVE’s parameters, some key considerations should benoted. A policy framework, anchored on access, genderand social equity, and good governance and best practices,should be the foundation of a meaningful national pro-gram of TVE. The Government’s primary role should bethat of a facilitator and standard-setter, rather than a pro-vider and controller. TVE should be relevant to, and drivenby, the demands of the emerging skill needs of the labormarket, consistent with those in the economic and socialsectors, and formulated with the active participation of thekey stakeholders, including various government agencies,private entrepreneurs, employers, and TVE providers, e.g.,NGOs, community-based organizations, and other groups.

Components and Key Activities1. Support the establishment of a National Secretariat

for Technical and Vocational Education (NSTVE) thatwill help formulate TVE policies; set standards; anddevelop, coordinate, and monitor plans and programs.As the lead TVE agency, functioning directly underthe MOE, it will maintain liaison with MOHE andother ministries mandated to handle specialized sub-jects and sectors. This component will provide techni-

Appendix


cal advisors, office furniture and equipment, and con-duct workshops.

2. Create a National Institute of Technical and Voca-tional Education (NITVE) to serve as the implement-ing TVE arm: identify skills needed by the economy;develop curricula, teaching and learning aids; con-duct national tests/evaluation; and issue certificatesbased on standards laid down by NSTVE. This com-ponent will provide technical advisors, undertake ur-gent civil works, provide furniture and equipment, andconduct study visits.

3. Create an Academy of Training of Technical and Voca-tional Educators (ATTVE) to train technical educatorsand professionals, including directors/managers of train-ing institutes/centers, for both the Government and theprivate sector. This component will comprise the provi-sion of international and national technical advisors andthe conduct of workshops, among others.Budget Estimate. $4.8 million, distributed as fol-

lows: NSTVE, $0.3 million; NITVE, $4.36 million; andATTVE, $130,000.

Implementing Agency. MOE.

Institutional Strengtheningof the Ministry of Education

Project 1. Policy DevelopmentThrough Stakeholder Dialogue

Objective. To develop a new policy framework, basedon social and gender equity, access, and quality, amongothers.

Scope. A policy framework will include regulatoryguidelines for the functioning of NGOs and private pro-viders, and provisions ensuring greater access for womenin policy- and decision making. This will include an insti-tutional analysis and sector work to gain in-depth knowl-edge of the sector, its potentials and development require-ments. This assistance will be coordinated with other typesof assistance identified separately, in particular, the techni-cal assistance in management provided by UNICEF andUNESCO to MOE, technical assistance (TA) in schoolconstruction planning and implementation, and other TAthat may be provided by other aid providers.

Budget Estimate. $2 million, funded by the WorldBank.

Implementing Agency. MOE

Project 2. Education Resource Survey

Objective. To establish a system and methodologyfor conducting and analyzing systematic education re-source surveys (ERS) of educational needs and assets inall communities and to initiate data collection, especiallyon children who never attend school. Data to be collectedinclude an educational coverage profile of the community,community/parent values, availability of educational op-portunities in the local area, and alternative resources avail-able for education. The data will be used for program plan-ning to assure that education services reach all of the popu-lation, and also for developing an advocacy program pro-moting education—specifically girls’ education.

Scope. The project will support ERS data collection ona national level, managed and coordinated through the pro-vincial education departments with support from the MOEplanning office. The project will develop a methodology andinstruments, hire and train survey personnel at the provincialand district levels, and implement the survey over a 6-monthperiod. Data collected will be analyzed at the provincial levelto directly inform planning and operations. The survey willbe managed and coordinated at the provincial level. This willbe a joint activity between MOE and NGOs, with the capac-ity and equipment installed in the provincial MOE offices.The data will then be aggregated and analyzed on a nationallevel in the planning office.

Budget Estimate. $250,000.Implementing Agency. The MOE unit primarily

responsible for developing the methodology and overalldata analysis will be the planning department. The imple-mentation of the surveys will be the responsibility of pro-vincial and district education officers, supplemented bytrained teams of hired data collectors. The ERS is not anongoing or continuing activity, and as such does not re-quire installed capacity.

Proposed Implementation Plan. June–December2002.

Project 3. Institutional Strengthen-ing of the Ministry of Education forSchool Rehabilitation andReconstruction

Objective. To build capacity in the central MOE andthe provinces to carry out efficient planning, coordination,management, implementation, and monitoring of cost-effi-cient school rehabilitation, construction, and temporary fa-

45

cilities management, including provision of school furnitureand equipment, and teacher housing as necessary.

Scope. The TA project will establish a database forschool rehabilitation and construction at MOE and thePEOs. Activities will include (i) training in school map-ping and surveys; (ii) identification/categorization ofschools according to their rehabilitation needs, and prepa-ration of strategies for meeting those needs; (iii) provisionof computers/software and computer training for process-ing the data and using the data for planning at MOE,PEOs, and DEOs; and (iv) training and assistance forcapacity building in detailed technical estimation and es-timation of costs for rehabilitation and construction ofschools. The TA will also support capacity building inmanaging and coordinating the rehabilitation and con-struction of schools, and in undertaking efficient partner-ships with contractors for school rehabilitation and con-struction; and the development of cost-effective provisionof transitional learning spaces to address the needs ofmobile populations, such as returning refugees.

Budget Estimate. $1.15 million, funded by ADB.Implementing/Executing Agency. MOE.Proposed Implementation Arrangements. The

planning and implementation of school rehabilitation andconstruction will be coordinated with the activities of theMinistry of Rural Development as well as Ministry ofPublic Works. While MOE will be the executing agencyof the TA, it will outsource the rehabilitation and con-struction work to NGOs and private organizations.

Timetable. The TA will commence during the sec-ond quarter of 2002, and will be implemented over an 18-month period.

Project 4. Capacity Building of MOE

The institutional framework and capacity building forMOE is a crosscutting project for subsectors covered byseveral ministries (Education, Higher Education,Women’s Affairs, and Labor and Social Affairs). Thisproject will mainly concentrate on primary education andECD activities. The timeframe covered here is limited tothe first 2 years, although the project will take longer.

Objective. To support MOE in building its insti-tutional and professional capacity at the central, provin-cial, and local levels, with institutional support to com-munities and schools, and possibly to NGOs. The capac-ity building process is meant to support the smooth andeffective implementation of the future education policyand its learning process. It would focus on service deliv-ery to children, following a bottom-to-top process.

Scope. The project, defined within a system develop-ment framework, will rebuild the minimum capacity neededat the central and provincial levels to monitor the short-term policy of restarting schools through flexible delivery,safe space, rapid reenrollment of girls and returnees, andrapid deployment of additional teachers, especially female,and improvement of the learning process; support the mo-bilization necessary to achieve the objective of enrolling 2million children in school in 2 years, concentrate the cen-tral capacity building activities on key planning and mana-gerial functions, coordinating functions, education policyguidance, monitoring, and the associated information sys-tems to be developed; prepare the capacity building plansaccording to a bottom-to-top approach; and organize themain responsibilities and restructure MOE accordingly.

Components and Key Activities1. Technical Assistance for (a) primary education, (b)

teacher training, (c) curriculum renovation, and (d)the Ministries of Women’s Affairs and Labor and So-cial Affairs in relation to education and ECD issues.

2. Support to MOE system development, including (a) re-habilitation of the relations among the center, provinces,districts, schools, and communities through short-termtraining; (b) organization and renovation of four keyMOE functions: planning (including data collection andEMIS), projects, budget, and personnel; and(c) mechanisms for partner coordination with MOE.Budget Estimate. Total of $14.9 million. This bud-

get is tentative and is based on certain assumptions, whichare shown in Table A1. It will be refined during the seconddraft, after consideration of subsectors’ first draft reports.

Appendix

Notes: EMIS = Education Management Information System; MOE= Ministry of Education; MWA = Ministry of Women’s Affairs; MLSA= Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs; TA = technical assistance.Source: Ministry of Education.

Components and ActivitiesComponents and ActivitiesComponents and ActivitiesComponents and ActivitiesComponents and Activities

Component 1TA to primary educationSupport to teacher trainingSupport to curriculum developmentSupport to staff reinforcementSupport to building and constructionSupport to MWA and MLSA

Subtotal Component 1

Component 2Short-term trainingSystem development, including data

collection and EMISSubtotal Component 2

0.880.480.400.480.480.803.52

2.598.77

11.36

TTTTTotalotalotalotalotal($ million)($ million)($ million)($ million)($ million)

TTTTTable A1. Capacity Building of MOEable A1. Capacity Building of MOEable A1. Capacity Building of MOEable A1. Capacity Building of MOEable A1. Capacity Building of MOE


Implementing Agency. Within the Government,MOE.

Proposed Implementation Arrangements. Sev-eral activities in this proposed project are already beingimplemented by UNICEF and are expected to be part ofUNICEF support within the next 3 years, in particular,TA to primary education, teacher training, and curricu-lum assessment and redesign. Other aid providers’ contri-butions are also considered: Japan International Coop-

eration Agency for TA for teacher training and curricu-lum methodology; and ADB for capacity building forschool rehabilitation and construction. Component 2 (sys-tem development) could be cofunded by the World Bankas part of its institutional strengthening of MOE ($2 mil-lion).

Timetable. Assistance design, April–May 2002;preparation, May–December 2002; implementation,April 2002–March 2004.

Documents

A New Start for Afghanistan's Education Sector