Joint Declaration by ANEC and MSQEA
On April 26, the Afghanistan National Education Coalition (ANEC) and Movement for Support of Quality Education in Afghanistan (MSQEA) as well as civil society partners presented a joint declaration “Accountability for SDG4 Through Citizen Participation: Keep Your Promises” at a public meeting in Kabul. About 150 national organizations and institutions supported the declaration.
Global Action Week on Education, is an international campaign which is globally organized by Global Campaign for Education (GCE) in 120 countries annually. Their aim is to make awareness about importance of education for achieving SDG4 till 2030.
“Afghanistan National Education Coalition” and “Movement for support of Quality Education in Afghanistan” with support of more than 100 national and international active organizations in education sector holds this campaign every year in 34 provinces of Afghanistan. This year, more than 150 people participated and representatives of President Office, First Lady Office, Parliament, CEO, Ministry of Education and ANEC were in the panel. #GAWE2018
Once a year during the Global Action Week the GCE brings hundreds of thousands members together on the important shared goal on the right of education during the Global Action Week. Furthermore, it reminds that education is a cornerstone for development and that credible road-maps are needed to deliver quality, inclusive, public education – which is at the heart of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG4).
During the public meeting in Kabul General Director for Policy and Planning, Mohseni presented National Education Strategic Plan III in-line with SDG4 implementation progress, challenges that highlights nearly 3.5 million children are still out of school, most of them are girls. He confirmed the low quality of education, the lack of qualified teachers and current curriculum is not responsive to labor market. He called for a common initiative with the support of international organizations to enroll out of school children and youth.
High-ranking representatives of the Presidential and of the CEO Offices, from the Education Commission of the Parliament, Directors of the Ministry of Education, from Bibi Gul, the “Ambassador for Literacy Education”, Deputy Minister for Literacy Education from the Afghan Institute for Civil Society, from Afghan Women Organization, from the teacher Association and from literacy education LIFE, just to mention some of them, attended the public Meeting.
About 10 TV channels and radio stations reported about this event.
Bashir Khaliqi, from Afghan National Association for Adult Education represented ANEC and highlighted the role of the National Education Coalition in the upcoming process to translate the Sustainable Development Goal on Education (SDG4) into the development and education strategies of the country.
Education is a public good and key for the future of the country. He stated that not only the government but the whole society is responsible for the future of our children, therefore the cooperation of the government and civil society is essential and should improve.
- Progress on SDG4:
Ministry of Economy has been appointed as the focal point for coordination, monitoring and reporting of 17 SDGs in Afghanistan since 2017. Related governmental organizations have been divided into 4 working groups for better management and organization of tasks.
Working Group 3 has hold 8 coordination meetings with governmental and non-governmental related organizations to adapt long term plans in health, education and social protection sectors since October 2017, which has successfully determined 46 targets, 84 indicators, 75 indicators with baseline, 9 indicators without baseline, 46 indicators from administrative digits, 38 indicators with survey digits, 9 leader budget unit, 35 fellow budget unit and 35 development fellow organizations.
While the education sector is in a critical condition in Afghanistan, it is recommended that with support of Civil Society Organizations serious actions should be taken to accelerate the finalization and application of working programs with accordance to indicators and determined baselines, so as the result it should be the foundation of a bright future for the children of this land, presentation of high quality and inclusive education without any prejudice, inequality and separation of gender and disability.
As per recent reports on education and government commitment to implement SDG4, education sector is in a critical condition in Afghanistan, it is recommended that with support of Civil Society Organizations serious actions should be taken to accelerate the finalization and application of working programs with accordance to indicators and determined baselines, so as the result it should be the foundation of a bright future for the children of this land, presentation of high quality and inclusive education without any prejudice, inequality and separation of gender and disability.
Education is very important for the future of the young generation, for the stability and the social development of Afghanistan. Therefore, the declaration presented by the ANEC and MSQEA identified following areas for the changes of the education:
- Ministry-wide Vulnerability to Corruption Assessment of the Ministry of Education Report:
As of order number 115 on 18 September 2016 by Supreme authority of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, “Independent Joint Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Committee” or MEC, as an independent organization was created to check the status, present report to related governmental organizations.
Vulnerability to administrative corruption in Ministry of Education report in November 2017 shows existence of immense corruption during last 15 years in hiring of teachers, buying books, salaries of teachers, procurement processes, building schools and literacy improvement.
Therefore, this committee suggested 66 effective recommendations for improvement of current situation of Ministry of Education which are mostly applicable.
Afghanistan National Education Coalition and Movement for Support of Quality Education in Afghanistan with support of national and international organizations will help Ministry of Education to implement these suggestions through joint working group including representatives of CSOs and MEC. This will lead to active participation of people in anti-corruption process, receiving more financial aids for education sector and implementation of SDG4 in Afghanistan.
- Contribution of Civil Society in implementation of long term education plans and government’s attention to education:
- Creation of specific working group including Civil Society and Independent Joint Anti-Corruption Monitoring and Evaluation Committee
- Involvement of Civil Society in short-term, mid-term and long-term monitoring and evaluation processes of Ministry of Education
- Prevention of political, campaigns and religious deviations misuse from education sector
- Serious attention to gradual increase of 11 million illiterates by literacy learning programs and public movements for reduction of illiteracy
- Amplification of national budget and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in education sector
