BRAC Afghanistan is committed to directly address the urgent needs and the gaps of primary education. BRAC Afghanistan Education program was started its journey in July 2002 to enhance the girl's education, increase enrollment of girl's participation and also promote female teachers in the primary education sector. In the meantime, the program is also encouraging the community initiatives in setting up new schools, increasing school enrollment and retention of girls and continuously improving the quality of school.

BRAC Afghanistan education program has been redirecting its school program by establishing Feeder and Basic Education of Older Children (BEOC) in place of Non Formal Primary Education (NFPE) schools with a view to take stand on behalf of the poorest and underprivileged children who were deprived of education. The program also creates employment opportunities for local women as school teachers and develops the capacity of local NGOs.

From the beginning of the program upto now as of June'08, a total of 6,001 schools are in operation with 194,040 students of whom 84% are girls . In upto December 2007, BRAC Afghanistan initiated a US$ 13.04 million for Community Base Girl's Education Project with assistance of CIDA, US$ 2.90 million for Community Base School (CBS) program with assistance of SIDA,US$ 1.60 million for Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) funded by UNICEF, US$ 2.60 million for Emergency Education Rehabilitation and development Program (EERDP) funded by World Bank and US$ 4.31 million for Education Quality Improvement Program (EQUIP) funded by World Bank with assistance and cooperation of Education department of Afghan Education Ministry, local Sura members, Community and local NGOs in implementing projects.

On going projects:

1. Community Base Education Program supported by SIDA
2. Girls' Education Project supported by CIDA

1. Community Base School (CBS) Program supported by SIDA :

In September 2004 the BRAC run Community Base school (CBS) program starts it 3 years journey (September-2004 to August-2007) with the target of 1200 CBS establishment.

The objective of BRAC education programme is to encourage communities to set up schools, send their girls to schools, retain them and improve the quality of education particularly in the underserved areas.

The project aims to :

•  Support government efforts to achieve education for all

•  Reduce mass illiteracy and contribute to the basic education of the poorest children

•  Ensure that adolescents carry on education and increase life skill knowledge

•  Involve communities in the management of schools and mobilize in favor of girls' education

•  Create employment opportunities for local women as school teachers and

•  Develop the capacity of local NGOs to run CBS program

Components:

•  Community base school ( BEOC and Feeder )

•  Adolescent Reading Center ( ARC)

Important features of the BRAC Community Base School :

BEOC School

•  Non school going older children: age 11-15 years

•  Teacher: local female , qualification 8-10 class

•  Class room: one room class centrally located

•  Class size: 25 - 35 students ( 100% girls)

•  Course duration: 2 years covering grade III.

•  School time: 3 hours per day and six days in a week.

•  Curriculum: Govt. curriculum with some extra reading materials.

•  Teaching aids for teacher: necessary guidebooks and charts.

Feeder School

•  Non school going children: age 6 - 7 years

•  Teacher: local female , qualification 8-10 class

•  Classroom: one room class centrally located

•  Class size - 30 -35 students ( 80% girls)

•  Course duration: 1 year covering grade I.

•  School time: 3 hours per day and six days in a week

•  Curriculum: Govt. curriculum and some extra reading materials.

•  Teaching aids for teacher: necessary guidebooks and charts.

Status of Material development:

•  The preparatory phase guide books,

•  basic teachers training guide, refreshers guide for grades II and III,

•  PO manual,

•  The guide books on the Mathematics for grades I and II and

•  The alphabet charts in Dari and Pashto versions.

•  Story books for grade II and III

•  Revision of basic teachers training guide in the light of Gov. CBS policy

Partnership Education Program

BRAC Afghanistan has started the partnership education program with three local NGOs which are Skill Training and Rehabilitation (STAR), Association of Defense for Women's of Balk (ADWRB), and Education and Training Center for poor Women and girls of Afghanistan (ECW). The NGOs have programs in Kabul , Mazar-i-sharif and Kunduz provinces in Afghanistan . Each NGO is operating 5 schools with 160 students of them over 70 girls. So, a total of 15 schools with 480 students are being operated by NGOs.

Adolescent Reading Centres (ARCs):

With the objectives of providing opportunity of continuing education and life skills knowledge to the adolescents girls BRAC Afghanistan Education Program operated ARCs as pilot basis.

B. Girls' Education Project supported by CIDA

In January 2007 the BRAC run and CIDA supported Community Base Girls' education Project starts its 4 years course (January -2007 to December-2010) with the target of 4000 community base school establishment, 5000 government school teachers' capacity development, 200 Adolescent Reading Center establishment, capacity development of local NGOs and research work on Appraisal of Basic Competency of the students and on the barriers of girls' education along with the target of New Initiatives.

Project Goal:

To promote gender equality through the provision of basic education

Objectives

The overall objective of the proposed project is to encourage communities to increase girls' enrolment and their retention, and to improve the quality of education especially in underserved areas .

The project purposes are to :

•  Increase access of girl to education through Feeder and CBALS schools

•  Enhance continuing education opportunity to girls through quality enhancement of public school

•  Develop the capacity of local NGOs to be involved in CBS program implementation under the proposed project.

Components:

•  Community Base School Operation

•  Adolescent Reading Centre Operation

•  Develop the capacity of local NGOs

•  Quality enhancement of public school

•  New initiatives and Research

Important features of the BRAC Community Base School :

•  Community Based Feeder School (CBFS):

Schooling : In 2 years to cover the curriculum of grades I - III

Teachers : Female from the locality

Students : Out of schools children, 70% girls, 30-35 per school .

Age group : 7-9 years old

Venue : In Rented/constructed room

The classroom for CBFS will be rented or constructed with the supports of local education shura, SMC of CBS and SMC of Hub School.

•  Community Based Accelerated Learning School (CBALS)

Schooling : In 2 years to cover the curriculum of grades I - IV

Teachers : Female from the locality

Students : Adolescent girls, 25-30 per school .

Age group : 7-9 years old

Venue : In Rented/constructed room

The classroom for CALS will be rented or constructed with the supports of local education shura, SMC of CBS and SMC of Hub School.