Young People in Economic and social Growth
Not only girls and young women, the whole young generation is suffering from the conflict situation. The country has one of the youngest populations; more than 63% are under 25 years old. Insecurity, low economic development and the problems of the present education system do not provide future perspectives and many young people already left or are ready to leave the country.
The objectives of ANAFAE’s education services are to increase access and to expand the provision of qualified adult education for young adults in line with the new National Education Strategic Plan.
ANAFAE runs a Network of 23 Adult and Community Learning Centres (ALCs and CLCs) in Kabul, Charikar, Mazar, Maimana, Sar-e-Pol, Faizabad, Takhar, Kunduz, Faryab, Samangan and Herat.
Qualified education programs of the ANAFAE Adult and Community Learning Centres enable social advancement and economic participation, open new personal perspectives, better career opportunities and economic empowerment in particular for young people to build their future lives in their communities.
ANAFAE Adult and Community Learning Centres provide education courses in the field of IT, Science, Konkor, Social, Art and Culture, Language, Employability, Literacy and Basic Education). IT courses, like Office Programs, Hardware, and Networks, help young students to find a job opportunity.
In addition, the teachers of the ALCs and CLCs conduct, Math, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Physics, Chemistry, Biology courses; complementary to formal school education. Furthermore, 9 months Konkor preparation courses support young people to join higher education. Young adults can also join the basic Dari and Pashto language courses. Islamic Education courses are conducted in most of the ALCs and CLCs.
Many young people interested in art join the Calligraphy, Nastaliq, drawing and painting courses. Most young learners come to learn the English language. ANAFAE offers the Cambridge, Interchange Four System, foreign language for adults and the “Market Leader” modules which are ideal for students, job-seekers and employed staff who need to learn the English language in jobs related fields, like business, accounting, in project works or IT.
The employability courses of ANAFAE help young people to improve their personal chances to find some basic jobs and earn some income, to support their livelihoods.
The employability courses includes Office Skills and management, finance and accounting, Office and business related English and IT, Graphic design, Video design, public speaking, beautification, tailoring and mobile phone repairing. ANAFAE also provides job related education for groups of employees from NGOs or other institutions.
In 2016, about 360 teachers of the ALCs and CLCs improved their skills during the trainings provided by the Master Trainers and the Heads of Education
Departments in the Adult Learning Centres. A new training framework curriculum for the teachers is still underway.
These positive trends show the huge demand for education among young people in Afghanistan and the problems of the government to develop the education system.
Deeply affected by war and conflicts for nearly 40 years, the development of Afghanistan’s education system remains fragile.
Afghanistan has one of the youngest populations in the world. Hundreds of thousand returnees from Pakistan and Iran and IDPs bring additional pressure on the education system and are one of the reasons for a fast growing urbanisation process.
The government has problems to provide the necessary education services. Quality education for the rapidly growing number of young adults is a top demand and a national priority. But there are still huge and significant obstacles to the development of the education system within the country, due to lack of funding, unsafe school buildings, ongoing conflicts and cultural norms.
ANAFAE’s education programs are an important investment into the future of the young generation in Afghanistan. Most young Afghans are encouraged to create their own personal perspectives and a future for their families. They want to get out of the vicious circle and see education as their only chance to improve their situation.
With new qualifications and competences, young people can make important contributions to economic growth and social change.
