Afghanistan’s education system is struggling to meet growing demand for education amid restrictions on girls’ schooling, declining participation, weak learning outcomes and shrinking financial support, according to the Afghanistan Education Situation Report 2026, published by UNESCO and UNICEF.
The report estimates that Afghanistan has a population of around 45 million, nearly 65 per cent of whom are under 25. The school-age population between seven and 18 years increased from approximately 10.4 million in 2019 to 11.5 million in 2024. Large-scale returns from neighbouring countries have added pressure on schools, teachers and learning resources.
Why is access to education a concern?
Girls remain excluded from formal education beyond Grade 6, with more than 2.6 million denied access to secondary education since 2021. Women are also excluded from university education. At the same time, boys’ participation is declining at both lower- and upper-secondary levels.
An estimated 53 per cent of primary-school-age children, 67 per cent of lower-secondary-age adolescents and 79 per cent of upper-secondary-age adolescents remain outside formal general education. The report notes that incomplete information on private, Islamic and alternative provision complicates these estimates.
Primary education remains the only level of formal schooling accessible to both girls and boys nationwide. Reported primary enrolment increased from 6.04 million in 2022 to 6.77 million in 2024, before falling to approximately 6.6 million in 2025. The primary gross enrolment ratio also declined from 95.4 per cent in 2024 to 91 per cent in 2025.
Are children learning effectively?
Learning outcomes remain a major concern. A 2025 national Student Learning Assessment covering more than 55,000 Grade 4 students found that only 43.5 per cent had achieved minimum proficiency in language, while 25.4 per cent reached the minimum level in mathematics.
Teacher subject knowledge was the strongest measured predictor of student achievement. Access to textbooks and libraries, additional instructional time and better school infrastructure were also associated with stronger outcomes. Around half of schools lack buildings large enough to accommodate all classes.
Early childhood education is similarly limited, with fewer than one per cent of children aged 36–59 months participating in an ECE programme.
What are the alternatives and emerging pressures?
Community-based education (CBE), implemented through local communities and supported by education-sector partners, has helped reach children in remote areas, particularly girls. Since 2023, national NGOs have assumed a greater share of field implementation, while UN agencies and international NGOs have focused increasingly on financing, technical support and monitoring. However, the number of active classes fell from nearly 30,000 at its 2023 peak to about 5,300 in October 2026, serving approximately 162,000 learners.
Formal technical and vocational education and training (TVET) enrolment also remains below its 2019 level. Non-formal skills programmes and traditional apprenticeships have expanded, but certification, quality assurance and links to employment remain weak.
Higher education has contracted considerably. Enrolment stood at approximately 208,000 in 2026, compared with 425,000 in 2019. Female enrolment has been zero since 2024, while the number of professors and lecturers has fallen by around one-third since 2019.
What does the report identify as priorities?
The report calls for protecting the existing teaching workforce, strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy, restoring girls’ access to formal education and maintaining locally accessible learning pathways. It also highlights the need to support schools receiving returnee children and improve the quality and recognition of vocational training.
Financing remains a significant obstacle. The Afghanistan Education Sector Support Plan estimates requirements of US$583 million for 2026–27 against identified resources of US$258 million, leaving a gap of approximately US$324 million.
The report argues that preserving existing education capacity is essential to prevent current pressures from becoming permanent losses and to support future recovery.