UNESCO and UNICEF warn of severe gaps in Afghanistan's primary education

Archival photograph of a classroom at Aliabad School, Afghanistan, in 2012; it does not depict present-day schooling conditions. Photo: Sgt Kimberly Lamb / US Army, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; resized for web display.

More than half of Afghanistan's primary-school-age children are outside formal general education, according to a report released by UNESCO and UNICEF on 4 November 2026. The organisations estimate the proportion at 53%.

The report also states that more than 2.6 million girls have been denied access to secondary education since restrictions were introduced in 2021. UNESCO and UNICEF warn that the exclusion of girls from education is deepening existing inequalities.

The assessment identifies pressure on basic learning, school access and education quality. Community-based classes continue to provide some opportunities for children who cannot attend conventional schools, but do not resolve the scale of the national challenge.

The findings underline the continuing difficulties of providing safe, accessible education to children across Afghanistan and the long-term consequences of restrictions on girls' learning.

Read the UNESCO–UNICEF findings and report information

Photograph source and licence: public domain (US Army)