Japan Contributes $7.2 Million to Support Literacy in Afghanistan

An agreement on a project aimed at improving the quality of the Accelerated Non-formal Education Programme (ANEP) was signed between Japan and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Wednesday at the Embassy of Japan in Kabul.

The signing ceremony for the project was attended by Mirwais Balkhi, the Acting Education Minister, Takahashi Yoshiyaki, Chargé de’ Affairs ad interim of the Embassy of Japan, Patricia McPhilips, UNESCO Representative in Afghanistan, Sardar Mohammad Rahimi, Deputy Minister of Education for Literacy, as well as a number of staff from the Embassy of Japan, the Ministry of Education, and UNESCO.

The project will be implemented jointly by the Ministry of Education and UNESCO within a period of three years (2019-2022) and will focus on establishing literacy courses, pilot accelerated learning centres and professionalization of 70 Adult Literacy Schools throughout Afghanistan.

Speaking at the event, Minister Balkhi, welcomed the contribution of Japanese government to education sector in Afghanistan.

He added that the key objective of the project would be to help the Deputy Ministry of Education for Literacy in establishing literacy and adult education centres, professionalization of the literacy school as well as in developing necessary policy documents for the Accelerated Education for youths and adults in Afghanistan.

On his turn, Takahashi Yoshiyaki, the Japanese diplomat said that his country believes education plays a key role to empower the people and society and the program will enhance the literacy rate in Afghanistan.

Japan is the largest donor for literacy sector in Afghanistan and has long history of partnership with UNESCO, which has implemented the three phases of “Enhancement of Literacy in Afghanistan (ELA) programme covering over 1 million learners in 18 provinces during (2008-2018).