Schools In Bamyan Province, Afghanistan: Observations From Site Visits At 16 Schools
Abstract
The United States has made significant investments in Afghanistan's education sector since 2002. Specifically as of January 12, 2019, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) reported that it has disbursed more than $1 billion for education programs in Afghanistan.1 USAIDs programs have concentrated on teacher training, child literacy, community-based education, textbook printing and distribution, and school construction or rehabilitation. USAID-constructed or rehabilitated schools include primary, lower secondary, and higher secondary schools; teacher training colleges; universities; kindergartens; and trade schools.2 USAID has claimed that the Afghan education sector is an area in which USAID programs have contributed to measurable positive impacts on Afghanistans development and stability.3 For example, in USAIDs 2019 fact sheet on education in Afghanistan, USAID cited an increased student enrollment from 900,000 students in 2002 to over 9 million in 2019 (including over 3.5 million girls), as evidence of overall progress in the sector. Nevertheless, concerns with the Afghan education system have received attention at the highest levels of the Afghan government. The Afghan Minister of Education, Dr. Asadullah Hanif Balkhi, told parliament in May 2015, that nonexistent schools received funding and noted that the ministry's Education ManagementInformation System, used for tracking the number of functioning schools, is imprecise.4 Similarly, in June 2015, the Independent Joint Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (MEC) reported that ghost5 teachers have been a long-standing problem, and in most provinces, including Bamyan, teacher attendance sheets are not filled out or are frequently forged.6 Concerned by these and similar allegations, SIGAR issued an inquiry letter to USAID on June 11, 2015.7
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1137700
Entities
People
- John E Sopko
Organizations
- Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction