Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) ministry of education to support an education project in the country for 30,000 students.

The MoU was signed during a meeting between the Director-General of Qatar Fund for Development Khalifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari and the IEA’s Minister of Education Habibullah Agha Haqqani.

Qatar’s The Peninsula reported that the project aims to enroll 30,000 students, of whom 50 percent are girls, to complete their primary education in several Afghan provinces.

The joint project, which extends for three years, will enable most of the children who are not enrolled in schools and those in need, including girls and students with disabilities.

The work and coordination will be done with community education schools to build and renovate classrooms and improve sanitation facilities, The Peninsula reported.

It will also provide training for community teachers and adding more teachers, and engaging key stakeholders to enroll students.

Khalifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari said: “We believe that education is one of the most important pillars for the prosperity of least developed countries.

“Unfortunately, there are 3.7 million out of school children in Afghanistan today, 60 percent of whom are girls.”

He added: “Through this agreement, we will target 30,000 male and female students, 50 percent of whom will be girls, and this is part of our vision to support fair access to education for all.”