Results for Youth: Afghanistan

Andrea GlauberIrina MajumdarMichael Bouvet

Catalina andJackson CojocaruFoundation

Proposal to

Background Millennium Development Goal #2:

Achieve universal primary education by 2015

Implementing Organization Mission: Established in 2000, the AIM Initiative is an

international education consulting organization focused on:1. Increasing access to education throughout the

developing world2. Advising on best scholastic practices3. Improving the quality of educational outcomes

AIM has previously worked in partnership with USAID, the World Food Programme, and Afghanaid to increase access to education in post-conflict situations in Afghanistan

Problem: Kapisa Province• Afghanistan predicted not to meet universal

education MDG by 2020• School attendance:

o Boys: 55%o Girls: 25.8%

• In 2011, nearly 16,000 male students and 6,000 female students were permanently absent.

• Large and persistent gender gap• Root causes: decades of war, widespread poverty,

and conservative opposition

Needs: Kapisa Province

Cultural

• Tradition dictates that girls belong in the home• Conservative family members and religious leaders forbid girls from

attending school

Economic

• 41.2% of parents, teachers, and girls said that poverty is the biggest barrier to girls’ access to education

Social

• Abuse in school is common: in one survey, 100% of boys reported that they had encountered physical and humiliating punishment in school

• Girls: high female to male teacher ratio, lack of boundary walls, absence of functional latrines (48% of rural areas do not have qualified female teachers)

Security

• Children in rural areas must walk long distances to school, facing harassment along the way

• Many schools built by U.S. military and often used as polling places, making them prime targets for attack

Project Objectives

Ensure access to quality education for both boys and girls in the Hesa Dovum

Kohistan District of Kapisa, Afghanistan

Increase student attendance and empower youth to have a voice in their

education in Kapisa Province

Improve chances of long-term, community-led sustainable

development

Project Initiatives

Conditional Cash Transfers

(CCTs)

Female Teacher Training

Programs (FTTs)

Parent-Teacher-Student

Associations (PTSAs)

Conditional Cash Transfers

Objective: Increase student attendance by meeting the economic needs of the community and reducing financial burdens on families

Modeled on World Bank program in Cambodia Incentive: Cash scholarships for families who send their

children to school Phase 1: Introduce concept of CCTs at PTSA meetings Phase 2: Implement CCTs among poorest 1/3 of population Phase 3: Monitoring, evaluation, and reformation

Female Teacher Training Objective: Increase girls’ attendance by increasing the

number of female teachers in Kapisa Partnership with Ministry of Education: guaranteed

employment after graduation 1 year-long teacher training college Incentive: Travel/meal stipend paid to participants Phase 1: Educate members of the community about the

benefits of program Phase 2a: Reach out to youths to create pre-FTT program Phase 2b: Enroll females in higher education in the

program Phase 3: Monitoring, evaluation, and reformation

Parent Teacher Student Associations

Objective: Foster a norm of inter-community dialogue by establishing local PTSAs to provide a forum for citizens to discuss educational obstacles and solutions

Ensure that stakeholders will be present throughout all aspects of project implementation

Incentive: Community members will be empowered and incentivized to continue hosting PTSAs after project termination

Phase 1: Gain access to and respect of communities Phase 2: Establish monthly PTSAs Phase 3: Monitoring, evaluation, and reformation

Thank you.

References Ayari, Farida. “Afghan Female Literacy Centres bring knowledge and new priorities to

remote areas.” UNICEF. 2010. November 12, 2012. Bradbury, Jen. “Girls’ Education in Afghanistan.” UNICEF. 2012. November 11, 2012. Donker, Peter. “The Importance of a Good Basic Education.” Teachers First. 2005.

November 11, 2012. Web. Filmer, Deon and Norbert Schady. “Getting Girls into School: Evidence from a

Scholarship Program in Cambodia.” The World Bank. 2008. November 12, 2012. Web. Government of Afghanistan. “Reports.” Ministry of Education. 2012. November 12,

2012. Web. Save the Children. “Afghanistan in Transition: Putting Children at the Heart of

Development.” Save the Children. 2011. November 12, 2012. Web. United Nations Development Programme. “Achieve Universal Primary Education.” UN

Millennium Development Goals. 2007. November 11, 2012. Web. United Nations Development Programme. “Afghanistan Human Development

Report.” UN Human Development Reports. 2004. November 11, 2012. Web.