Japan provides US$10 million to improve quality of education for over 70,000 children in Afghanistan

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN, 7 July 2023 – The Government of Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has provided US$ 10 million to support continuity of children’s learning amidst a learning crisis in Afghanistan. With this contribution, 71,500 children are expected to continue their education.

60 per cent of girls and 46 per cent of boys of primary school age are currently not attending any level of education in Afghanistan¹. Even when children are enrolled in school, they are not always learning. Years of previous conflict, coupled with poor infrastructure, have made some schools unsafe for children. Many public schools lack adequate classrooms, qualified teachers, school supplies, and places where children can wash their hands.

This contribution from the Government of Japan will allow UNICEF to:

• Improve learning environments for 55,000 children in public hub schools by constructing and rehabilitating classrooms, or build handwashing facilities and toilets, based on the needs of specific schools
• Ensure 16,500 children can continue their education for another two years at the community level
• Provide in-service training for 990 female and male teachers, school heads and academic supervisors in public schools

“Without basic facilities, children are likely to be absent or to drop out of school completely,” says H.E. Takashi Okada, Ambassador of Japan to Afghanistan. “Every child deserves a safe, well-equipped classroom, where they can focus on their studies and trust the quality of instruction from their teachers.” 

“Not only do we want to see every child in school, but we want to nurture and facilitate continuous learning in both formal and informal community-based settings and access to quality education,” says Fran Equiza, UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan. “Any learning environment needs to be safe, well-equipped with textbooks and supplies for students and teachers, and led by qualified male and female teachers.”

This two-year intervention will be implemented in central and eastern regions of Afghanistan, building on 2020-2022 contribution from Japan to train teachers and improve water, sanitation, and hygiene in schools. Japan has demonstrated strong partnership to support children in Afghanistan and has remained continued to support their education, despite numerous challenges in the last few years. In Afghanistan, Japan has also supported UNICEF efforts to construct water and sanitation facilities, procure vaccines, and improve child nutrition.

¹ Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), 2022-23