Halima's story

Halima, a head teacher at a government school in Afghanistan, says fighting in her country has devastated the education system.

Thursday 28 June 2007

Halima is the head teacher of Nur-e-khuda government school in northern Afghanistan. Halima says, "Conflict has had a big impact on education in my country. There are simply no resources with which to teach our children. We have 3,800 children in one school, so we run it in four shifts. Each shift is about two hours long.

"We have a tiny compound and the land is not concrete. The mud under the chairs in the tents gets mushy, so we must hold the classes outside in the hot sun. We need more space and more time with the children."


A casualty of conflict

As Halima's story shows, conflict can have devastating effects on education:

  • School buildings are often destroyed or taken over by armed groups
  • Teachers are killed or flee to escape violence
  • Children and their families are forced to flee their homes, disrupting attendance at school
  • Money normally spent on education can be diverted.


Education transforms children's lives

Education is crucial for children and their families, communities and country.

Education saves lives:

  • A baby born to a mother with three years or more of basic education is twice more likely to survive than a baby born to a mother with no education
  • Information on issues such as HIV and AIDS or landmines can be taught in school and passed on to family.

Education gives children stability:

  • A regular routine gives children some structure to their otherwise chaotic lives.
  • A good quality education can also offer psychological support and a chance for children to talk about their experiences and heal.

Education promotes peace:

  • Children receiving a good education are less likely to be recruited into armed groups than those who are excluded.
  • Education can encourage conflict resolution, tolerance, human rights and good governance.

Education contributes to economic growth:

  • Investment in education is necessary to develop a skilled, educated and adaptable workforce that contributes towards good economic governance in a country.