More than half of Afghanistan's primary school-age children are outside formal education, UNESCO and UNICEF find

4 November 2026

UNESCO and UNICEF jointly published the Afghanistan Education Situation Report 2026. It finds that about 53 per cent of primary school-age children remain outside formal general education. The school-age population grew from about 10.4 million in 2019 to 11.5 million in 2024, so enrolment gains are not keeping pace. About 6.6 million children enrolled in public primary schools last year, roughly 560,000 more than in 2022. More than 2.6 million girls have been denied secondary education since 2021, and women remain barred from university. Higher education enrolment stands at about 208,000 this year, far below roughly 430,000 in 2020. About 5,300 community-driven classes serve around 162,000 learners, 64 per cent of them girls. A national assessment found fewer than half of Grade 4 pupils reached the minimum language proficiency expected at Grade 3. The agencies ask for the right to education to be fully restored for girls and women.