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| Afghanistan |
| Nearly 180 Girls Join Reading and Painting Competitions in Ghazni, nearly half of Afghan primary kids not in school |
| 2026-11-11 |
| [ToloNews] Reading and painting competitions involving nearly 180 girls were organized by a young woman in Ghazni province to promote reading and develop girls' artistic skills. Participants welcomed such initiatives, saying they provide opportunities for girls to showcase their talents. However, if you can't say something nice about a person some juicy gossip will go well... they expressed concern over the lack of a suitable market for their artwork and the difficulties they face in selling their products. Nazanin Nowruzi, the organizer, said the event brought together talented girls from different parts of Ghazni. "Talented girls from different areas of Ghazni participated in today's event to showcase their artwork. Some of them have created remarkable pieces without any teachers, and their work is far more valuable than we might imagine," Nowruzi said. Nargis, a participant, said artists face difficulties finding buyers for their work. "Sales are very low, and art does not receive the attention it deserves. Some people order paintings, but when we complete them, they do not return to collect or purchase them," she said. Another participant, Shah Gul Rezaei, expressed happiness after securing second place in the reading competition. "Anyone who studies will eventually achieve something. I studied and won second place in this competition, and I am very happy," she said. Zahra Alizadeh, who recently returned to Afghanistan after eight years as a refugee in Iran, also participated in the event. She said she began learning painting after returning to her homeland, hoping to earn an income and help support her family. "If I can become financially independent, I will be able to reduce the financial burden on my family. It would be wonderful if my artwork could find buyers and people appreciated its value," Alizadeh told TOLOnews. Calligraphy, drawing and painting have gained popularity in Ghazni in recent years, with hundreds of girls currently learning these skills. Despite this progress, the lack of a reliable domestic market for their artwork remains a major challenge for young female artists in the province. More Than Half of Afghanistan’s Primary School-Age Children Out of School, UN Report Finds [KhaamaPress] More than half of Afghanistan’s primary school-age children remain outside formal education, while millions of girls continue to be barred from secondary schools, according to a new report by UNESCO and UNICEF. UN News reported on Wednesday, November 4, that Afghanistan’s education system is facing a widening gap between growing demand for schooling and its capacity to provide it, as population growth, insufficient investment, restrictions on girls’ education and the return of millions of Afghans place additional pressure on schools. The joint Afghanistan Education Situation Report 2026, published on November 4, found that 53 percent of primary school-age children are not enrolled in formal general education. Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls and women are formally prohibited from accessing education beyond the primary level. More than 2.6 million adolescent girls have been denied secondary education since 2021, when the Taliban returned to power and imposed restrictions on girls attending school beyond Grade 6. Women have also been barred from universities since December 2022. Although alternative learning programmes offer limited opportunities, they remain insufficient to address the scale of the crisis. By October 2026, around 5,300 community-based classes were operating across the country, serving approximately 162,000 learners, 64 percent of whom were girls. The report also warns that Afghanistan’s rapidly growing school-age population is placing additional pressure on an already overstretched education system. The number of school-age children and young people increased from approximately 10.4 million in 2019 to 11.5 million in 2024. Despite these challenges, around 6.6 million children were enrolled in public primary schools in 2025, an increase of approximately 560,000 compared with 2022. However, enrolment growth has failed to keep pace with population growth, leaving millions without access to formal schooling. The crisis extends beyond school enrolment to the quality of education. A nationwide assessment of more than 55,000 pupils across all 34 provinces found that fewer than half of Grade 4 students achieved minimum Grade 3 language proficiency, while only one in four met the minimum standard in mathematics. Early childhood education is also severely limited, with fewer than one in 100 children aged three to four participating in early learning programmes. The pressure has intensified with the return of Afghans from neighbouring countries. By September 2026, approximately 1.23 million Afghans had returned, including more than 245,000 children requiring educational support. Afghanistan’s higher education sector has also contracted sharply since 2021. Although university enrolment increased to around 208,000 students in 2026, from 189,000 in 2024, it remains far below the approximately 430,000 recorded in 2020. Women remain excluded from university education. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |