Structure of Education in Afghanistan
Afghanistan is struggling to ground its feet and take the
road of development but regardless of
hindrances, institutions are being established all over the country. Two
separate systems exists in Afghanistan. The older system is a religious one,
taught by the mullahs, who conduct schools in the village mosques. They teach
the religious precepts of the Koran, reading, writing, and arithmetic.
The other system was introduced in Afghanistan's 1964
constitution and provided for free and compulsory education at all levels. The
education system suffered tremendously as a result of the Taliban insurgency.
Education in Afghanistan is modelled on the American
education system, it includes K-12 and higher education. The higher education
is administered by the Ministry of
Education and also the Ministry of Higher Education.
The structure of education system includes Pre-higher
education, the School education and the Higher education.
Primary Education
Primary School providing this phase of education:
- Length of program in years: 6
- Age level from: 7 to 13
Middle Secondary
- Length of program in years: 3
- Age level from: 13 to 16
Upper Secondary
- Length of program in years: 3
- Age level from: 16 to: 19
Structure of Higher education system
Bachelor’s degree
- Length of program in years: 4
Master’s degree
- Length of program in years: 2
Doctorate degree
- Length of program in years: 3
New Education Methodologies
Since the toppling of the Taliban rule, under the collective
efforts of Afghan experts as well as the international experts, the program has
been changed from extremist Islamic teachings to one moderately better with new
variety of books, and with better training than the previous training. However,
till now, there is no standard and international level curriculum in the
textbooks of secondary schools and high schools. The textbooks still remained
woefully scanty in number and content as well.