Kabul, Afghanistan – Female primary and secondary teachers throughout Afghanistan are enrolling in a teacher preparedness training course that was announced in Kabul. Targeting 2,500 teachers already contracted by the Ministry of Education (MoE), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Women in the Economy (WIE) program and the MoE developed the 96 hour course to benefit female public school teachers by sharpening their classroom management skills and coaching them to deliver lessons using a more interactive teaching approach designed to better engage students.

“The quality of our education is critical to national economic growth and the future of Afghanistan; it is the foundation on which all else is built,” said Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, who attended the launch of the teacher training program in Kabul.

Training modules include: skills assessment, participatory teaching methods, and effective classroom management. Through close cooperation with Provincial Education Departments, the course will roll out in select provinces to provide consistent educational improvements on a nation-wide basis.

“Receiving a good education is a fundamental right for society; we are committed to working with the education system in Afghanistan to assist teachers in uplifting their skills and building their confidence,” said Susan DeCamp, Director, USAID Office of Gender.

The first group of teachers begins their training this month, and the program will run for approximately three months around the country.

The four-year USAID WIE program assists Afghan women in finding new or better jobs through career counseling and workplace skills development. WIE also supports businesses that are women-owned or those employing women, to perform better, increase income, and improve business sustainability.

With almost $17 billion spent on development programs in Afghanistan since 2002, USAID provides the largest bilateral civilian assistance program to Afghanistan. USAID partners with the Government and people of Afghanistan to ensure economic growth led by the country’s private sector, to establish a democratic and capable state governed by the rule of law, and to provide basic health and education services for all Afghans.

• Press Release - Teacher Preparedness National Training Program Announced in Kabul (Dari)
• Press Release - Teacher Preparedness National Training Program Announced in Kabul (Pashto)