The World Bank has approved an additional $25 million grant from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to help increase equitable access to primary and secondary education in Afghanistan, particularly for girls.

The World Bank said in a statement that the new grant for the Education Quality Reform in Afghanistan (EQRA) project will help build 100 additional schools, further improve learning and access to education for girls, support teachers’ training, and promote community-based education.    

The EQRA project is supported by the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank Group’s fund for the poorest countries, the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), a multi-stakeholder partnership that aims to strengthen education systems in lower-income countries.

“Afghanistan has made much progress in improving education in the last two decades, but 3.5 million children remain out of school, and half of the country’s schools still have the minimal infrastructure,” said Henry Kerali, World Bank Country Director for Afghanistan.

“This additional financing will help the Afghan government create a better learning environment and enroll more children in schools,” Kerali added.

“Girls’ education is one of the smartest investments a country can make: it boosts economic growth, curbs infant mortality, and improves child nutrition,” said Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer of GPE.

“GPE will continue to do its part so that millions of girls and boys, especially the most vulnerable, can go to school and learn,” she said.

According to the statement, over the past decade, Afghanistan has made great strides in improving access to education, but learning poverty is among the highest in the world.

“The World Bank and its partners are dedicated to supporting the government of Afghanistan to improve primary and secondary education,” the statement read.