……. I am pleased to support the efforts of AADO, a reputable and trusted local NGO, as worthy managers of funding for this purpose. 2 April 2018, Acting Minister for Education in Afghanistan in support of the proposal to continue this program.
Quick facts:
- Women teachers were banned altogether from teaching during the Taliban decade
- In 2016 from a school population of 9 million, a mere 250,000 had passed the Kankor entrance exam for university, very few from the provinces
- 80% of Afghanistan’s 165,000 teachers had only achieved the equivalent of a high school education or did not complete post secondary studies
- The MSTT program has won several Awards for Excellence by the Afghan Government and has the endorsement of the Afghan Ministry of Education.
- AADO has trained 5,000 maths & science teachers but a further 2,160 need to be trained for all schools to benefit
The exit of teachers under Taliban rule means there are generally not enough qualified teachers in Afghanistan. In the case of science teachers, few are qualified to teach at senior secondary level. This is an enormous problem because success in science at senior secondary school level is a pre-requisite for university entrance.
Our science teacher courses are intensive, in-service training in theory and practice and teachers in both rural and city schools participate.
Teachers who demonstrate leadership in maths, biology, chemistry and physics are selected by their schools to participate and, on completion of the course they are well equipped to support and train teachers in their own and neighbouring schools.
AADO has trained 5,000 maths and science teachers to Master Science Teacher level. They have, in turn, delivered this training to an estimated 20,000 of their peers in their school and those in neighbouring schools.
Tracking now shows that students in the schools whose teachers are now qualified through this course have an 85-95% success rate in qualifying for entry into university in 2018. However this training needs to continue for several more years for students in every secondary school to benefit.
On this program we work closely with the Acting Afghan Minister for Education who said recently in a letter of support for AADO:
The quality of science teaching in our classrooms is critical for achieving school success and professional skills. My Government is focussed on closing the disparity between provinces in access to higher education for young Afghan women and men. I believe we must act to give our young people the best chance possible to contribute to a prosperous Afghanistan built by educated Afghans.
I am pleased to support the efforts of AADO, a reputable and trusted local NGO, as worthy managers of funding for this purpose.
The Planet Wheeler Foundation has funded this Master Science Teacher Training since 2009, for which we are enormously grateful, but this funding came an end in 2019 and we are seeking donations to continue the work.
If you can help, please do.