Overview of the General Education System

The formal education institutions in Afghanistan never existed from its establishment (1747) until 1875. Even though the foundation of modern education was laid in 1875, the number of established schools didn't exceed four until 1919. King Amanullah Khan (1919-1929) made the primary schools compulsory to all, for the first time he opened schools for girls and sent some female students to Turkey for education. This led to his exile from Afghanistan. From 1929 to 2001 there were enhancements in the educational fields although some obstacles emerged especially to female educators during some periods. The Ministry of Education (MoE) is responsible for the administration of primary education, secondary education, vocational education, and religious education, including funding, policy development, curriculum design, evaluation, and basic teacher education. The Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) is responsible for higher education in Afghanistan, including policy development, funding, quality assurance, advanced teacher education, and institution establishment.Afghanistan has a 6-3-3 formal education structure. Students usually start primary school at age seven and attend for six years. In the first three years, teachers evaluate students instead of giving exams. After grade three, students take two exams each year, with the final exam allowing them to advance to the next level. Primary education is compulsory in Afghanistan, and it is free for all students. Secondary school is divided into two cycles: lower secondary school consists of grades 7 - 9, and upper secondary consists of grades 10 - 12. Students must pass an exam at the end of middle school to continue their education.TVET stand for Technical and Vocational Education and Training. Technical and vocational education in Afghanistan formed one of five levels of education that have been provided in the public and private institutions. Technical and vocational educational programs are delivered in formal education led by MoE, which train individuals theoretically and practically for business and other vocational field to develop and expand their knowledge, ability and skills to prepare them for job market and tertiary education as well. Students are entering TVET institution from grade tenth up to fourteen, after that if the student overall scores are 80% or greater they can participate in another specialized exam to continue their higher education in the universities.