women and marginalized groups. The illiteracy rate is estimated to be close to 80 percent or even more, one of the highest in Asia. It has been found that there is a latent demand for education among the poor, especially women and girls, who not only realize the value of education, but want to attend schools and literacy classes in order to lead a better life. They acknowledge the empowering role of education. Ability to read and write is seen as a necessity to access information, and above all, to walk with one’s head high and participate at local level, in the national effort of construction.
In this context, literacy and non-formal education should serve socially constructive purposes to prepare Afghan citizens to actively participate in the process of social, cultural and economic development. It should contribute positively towards building a culture of solidarity and tolerance within a framework of multi-ethnicity and cultural and linguistic diversity. Policy makers and international organizations need to rethink the role of literacy and non-formal adult education so that they impart not only knowledge and skills, but more importantly, social inclusion. The unification and development of the country will require a major effort to raise the levels of literacy and to convey important messages through a wide range of information channels.
The prime objective of this project, is to help the Ministry of Education establish a national programme of literacy and non-forma