By Anisa Shahid
According to UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation UNESCO and the United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF in Kabul, 66 per cent of Afghans are illiterate but the figure is remarkably higher for women, nearly 90 per cent.
The UN branches in a news conference in Kabul said lack of education facility provokes the rocking number of illiteracy in the war-torn Afghanistan.
UNICEF estimates that more than 80 per cent of females and around 50 per cent of males lack accessing to education centres, mostly in the rural areas of the country.
UNESCO Director for Afghanistan, Shigeru Ayoagi, marked this country with a highest rate of illiteracy in the world.
“Approximately, 34 per cent of Afghan population can read and write,” said Shigeru Ayoagi of the UNESCO.
The two main cultural UN bodies said six million Afghan children are attending schools but thousands of others cannot access to education due to poverty and insecurity.
Ahmad Shah, 13, who wins a bread as polishing shoes on Kabul streets expressed, he works all the day to earn some money for his family, therefore no time for schooling.
“We urge Afghan government and local communities to renew their commitments to protect schools, literacy centers, learners and teachers,” Gopal Sharma, UNICEF Deputy Representative of Afghanistan said.
Series of attacks on schools, mainly in the southern region, discourage students to attend classes.
Over the past four months, 29 schools were attacked which left 13 death and 14 wounded. According to the UN parts, 700 schools have been closed due to insecurity in Afghanistan.