Provide access to education for emergency-affected out-of-school and other vulnerable children in Kabul and Kandahar Provinces of Afghanistan. Children’s access to education has largely been impaired by a combination of conflict, natural disaster, COVID-19, and economic decline. Already, the education of 9.3 million had been largely interrupted since 2020 due to COVID-19 related challenges and restrictions. An estimated 4.2 million children are out of school (60 per cent are girls), including children with disabilities, whose access to school is further limited by a combination of institutional, social, physical and financial barriers.

Following the changes in governance of the country, children’s access to education has become further impeded. The public education system is at risk of collapse as teachers’ salaries – which were largely relied on international community development funding and support through the previous Government – remain unpaid. Moreover, with the new authorities have expressed that they are only capable of budgeting for 30 per cent of the teaching workforce under current revenue estimates, meaning that 10 million children may remain out of schools.

To respond to the acute educational needs of children specifically in underserved areas, AABRAR and its partner Asia Community Development Organization (ACDO) will support a total of 8200 out of school and displaced children in Kabul and Kandahar to access basic education and psychosocial and social and emotional support. AABRAR and ACDO will support 4,200 (50 per cent girls) OOSC and 120 (50 per cent females) teachers through establishing 80 CBCs/TLSs in Paghman and Qarabagh districts in Kabul and 40 CBCs/TLSs in Takhta Pul and Arghandab districts in Kandahar and another 4,000 (50 per cent girls) OOSC and 144 (50 per cent females) teachers through enrolling to 36 hub schools 20 in Paghman and Qarabagh districts in Kabul and 16 in Takhta Pul and Arghandab districts in Kandahar.

The temporary learning spaces (TLSs) will be equipped with required teaching and learning materials and hygiene kits, and winterization supplies. Students enrolled to hub schools will be provided with learning kits and the teachers will receive required EiE, PSS, SEL and other relevant trainings. Training of teachers will be conducted as per the INEE Minimum Standards, CBE Policy and Education Cluster requirements which will ensure teachers’ capacity to deliver quality, inclusive and gender-sensitive basic education in emergencies.

In addition, the project will strengthen the community-based protection systems and will build capacity of School Management Councils (SMCs) to mobilize and sensitize communities through awareness-raising on the importance of education and EiE. SMCs will assist in back-to-school campaigns to make sure the OOSC are enrolled into schools/TLSs and have age-appropriate learning materials.
AABRAR and ACDO through direct support and coordination of the provincial education stakeholders and the Education Cluster will provide CBCs with separate WASH facilities for girls and boys and will rehabilitate partially destroyed hub schools to enable them to absorb new children.

AABRAR will conduct EiE activities in Kabul while ACDO will implement the activities in Kandahar province as ACDO is operating and implementing projects in in Kandahar, has dedicated and expert local staff and expertise to implement the proposed activities in the targeted (Arghandab and Takhta pu)l districts. AABRAR as lead organization will support and build the capacity of its partners and will be responsible to submit 5W monthly reports to EiE WG through the system for both Kabul and Kandahar provinces.
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