Evaluation of Afghanistan education sector support project (306-0202)

The impressive array of products include: (1) 3.5 million primary textbooks produced and distributed; (2) 7,200 teacher and staff salaries paid inside Afghanistan; (3) 166,000 students served inside Afghanistan; (4) Education Center for Afghanistan created and maintained; (5) 82,000 lower secondary textbooks produced and distributed; (6) nearly 2,000 adult literacy courses conducted; (7) 15,000 literacy kits and 320,000 mine awareness kits produced; (8) 91 scholars participating in 1 or 2 year studies in the United States; and (9) 2 vocational training centers created with 141 graduates produced. These accomplishments have been the cornerstone of educational services provided to Afghans in the resistance areas inside Afghanistan and an important element of services provided by PVO's and other groups in camps in Pakistan. As Afghans move from a period of refuge to reconstruction, the nature of educational services required must reflect this shift. The refugee period has been characterized by the need to mobilize rapidly the production of goods and services to meet basic needs. The reconstruction period will require great attention to cost- effective planning and provision of basic educational services, a rational redevelopment of the physical and administrative infrastructure, and the development of both educational materials and trained personnel required to ensure quality of student performance. Finally, the major focus of the project is and should continue to be on primary education. (Author abstract)