Switzerland is supporting the Afghan education sector. Quality formal education services for girls and boys are a key investment in the long-term development of a very young Afghan population.

Today, enrollment rates in Swiss-supported schools are consistently higher than national average. This is thanks to improvements in teachers’ education and the resulting better quality of schooling. Furthermore, the establishment of school shuras involving parents, school management, teachers and often students, promotes ownership by the local communities of their schools and awareness for the importance of education.

All Swiss-supported education projects place particular emphasis on the promotion of girls’ schooling and the training of women teachers. Despite improving enrollment rates, there are still millions of girls out of school, particularly in secondary school. This is in part linked to the low quality of schooling at that level and the lack of women teachers. Swiss support therefore focuses on secondary level schools and teacher training.

Education activities focus on the provinces of Badakhshan, Takhar, Baghlan and Bamyan.