UNESCO: Afghanistan’s Education System on Verge of Collapse

DID Press: Afghanistan’s education system is facing one of its worst crises in decades, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) warned in its 2025 report.

According to new data from UNESCO and UNICEF, restrictive policies, budget shortfalls, and ongoing humanitarian emergencies have reversed two decades of progress, leaving millions of Afghanistan children — especially girls — out of school.

The report says that in 2024, the number of primary students reached 6.77 million, but growth has since stalled. Poverty and family pressures are reducing boys’ attendance, while girls are barred from schooling beyond sixth grade. In total, an estimated 2.2 million Afghanistani girls are currently out of education.

Community-Based Education (CBE) programs, which once served nearly one million children, have sharply declined due to new restrictions. UNICEF’s new “Learning Continuity Program” aims to integrate affected students into public schools.

UNESCO highlighted a deepening “learning crisis,” noting that more than 90 percent of 10-year-old children in Afghanistan cannot read a simple text.

Compounding the problem are teacher shortages and poor infrastructure: half of all schools lack safe buildings, 79 percent have no electricity, and many are without clean water or sanitation facilities.

The report warns that without sustained investment, educational reform, and stronger teacher support, Afghanistan risks losing an entire generation to illiteracy.