Clinton Robinson

Lead Evaluator

March 2013

Evaluation of the Adult Learning Centres

of the

Afghan National Association for Adult Education

--- ANAFAE ---

2

Evaluation of ANAFAE Adult Learning Centres in Afghanistan

Clinton Robinson

Lead Evaluator

March 2013

Contents

Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 4

Purpose and scope ............................................................................................................. 4

Methods and process ......................................................................................................... 6

Organisation of the work .................................................................................................... 6

Sampling ........................................................................................................................... 6

Data collection ................................................................................................................. 10

Data analysis ................................................................................................................... 10

Courses and targeting ...................................................................................................... 11

Target groups .................................................................................................................. 11

Urban/rural background ............................................................................................... 13

Educational background ............................................................................................... 14

Family educational background .................................................................................... 16

CLC target groups ........................................................................................................ 17

Targeting girls and women ........................................................................................... 18

Literacy links.................................................................................................................... 19

Courses offered ............................................................................................................... 21

Learner perspectives ....................................................................................................... 26

Community and family perspectives ................................................................................ 33

Female learners .............................................................................................................. 35

Impact on learners ........................................................................................................... 37

Teacher training ................................................................................................................ 39

Teacher selection ............................................................................................................ 39

Teacher training .............................................................................................................. 40

Initial training ................................................................................................................ 41

In-service training ......................................................................................................... 42

Teacher assessment ....................................................................................................... 45

Organisational structures and mechanisms ................................................................... 47

Supervision and management ......................................................................................... 48

Leadership ...................................................................................................................... 50

3

Impact orientation ............................................................................................................ 51

Cooperation and exchange .............................................................................................. 52

ANAFAE internal networks .............................................................................................. 52

External networks ............................................................................................................ 53

Supplementary findings ................................................................................................... 55

Two-centre arrangement in Faizabad .............................................................................. 55

Physical environment in Herat ......................................................................................... 56

ALC sanitary facilities ...................................................................................................... 56

ALC classrooms .............................................................................................................. 56

Conclusions/lessons learned ........................................................................................... 57

Targeting and courses ..................................................................................................... 57

Target groups .............................................................................................................. 57

Vocational courses ....................................................................................................... 58

Gender ............................................................................................................................ 58

Reaching women and girls ........................................................................................... 58

Gender relations .......................................................................................................... 59

Gender in ANAFAE structures ..................................................................................... 60

Teachers and their training .............................................................................................. 60

Institutional capacity ........................................................................................................ 61

Organisational structure ............................................................................................... 61

Impact orientation ........................................................................................................ 62

Cooperation and exchange .......................................................................................... 62

Sustainability ................................................................................................................... 62

ANAFAE’s role in the broader educational context .......................................................... 64

Recommendations ............................................................................................................ 66

Courses and target groups .............................................................................................. 66

Teacher training .............................................................................................................. 67

Structures and management ........................................................................................... 68

Impact orientation ............................................................................................................ 68

Cooperation and exchange .............................................................................................. 68

Sustainability ................................................................................................................... 69

Annexes ............................................................................................................................. 70

Annex 1: Terms of Reference .......................................................................................... 70

Annex 2: Evaluation Schedule ......................................................................................... 74

Annex 3: Debriefing and feedback session ...................................................................... 76

4

Introduction

This evaluation was undertaken on the initiative of the Institute for International Cooperation

of the German Adult Education Association (Deutscher Volkshochschulverband) – dvv

international – in cooperation with its partner in Afghanistan, the Afghan National Association

for Adult Education (ANAFAE) and focused on the implementation of ANAFAE’s programme

of education through the network of Adult Learning Centres (ALCs) and on its institutional

role and mechanisms. The overall purpose of ANAFAE’s work is to contribute to the socio-

economic development of Afghanistan, promoting sustainable development and reducing

poverty. Building on the long experience of dvv international, both domestically and

internationally, and with its support, ANAFAE focuses on building the capacity and potential

of the Afghan population. To achieve these goals ANAFAE provides learning opportunities

through its ALCs for specific groups of learners, principally in the 15-25 age range. Since the

establishment of the first ALC in 2006 in Kabul, ANAFAE currently runs 14 ALCs, 2

Community Learning Centres (CLCs) and one learning centre linked to a Vocational Training

Centre (VTC).

In requesting this evaluation, ANAFAE and dvv international wish to ascertain how far the

ALC strategy is achieving the organisation’s overall goals, what direction it should pursue for

the future, and how the contribution of the organisation, from local to national level, may be

strengthened.

After reviewing the purpose and scope of the evaluation, this report details the methods and

processes used, presents findings in the four areas specified for the evaluation (see

following section) and with regard to certain centre-specific issues. It then draws a brief set

of conclusions from the findings, and ends with recommendations to ANAFAE and dvv

international for consideration in developing the programme of the ALCs and, more broadly,

the future role of ANAFAE.

Purpose and scope

As indicated in the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the evaluation (see Annex 1), the purpose

is to assess the following:

The impact of the courses on the lives of the different target groups, with a particular

focus on how the content and delivery methods of the courses fit the needs and

expectations of the target groups.

The management structures and capacity of ANAFAE on the organisational level,

with a view to strengthening systems and institutional capacity to adapt their course

offering to the changing needs of the target groups.

The effectiveness of teacher training as part of the quality management system.

The effectiveness of the mechanisms and structures that allow and support

countinous developement and innovation in order to meet the needs of the target

groups.

Thus the evaluation was required to focus on four elements of ANAFAE programme and

functions:

the courses in the ALCs;

5

the ANAFAE teacher training system including the teacher selection criteria

the organizational structures and innovation mechanisms;

the cooperation and exchange mechanisms of the network of adult learning centres.

The evaluation included on-site visits to thirteen of the fourteen ALCs, the two CLCs and the

ALC linked to the vocational training centre in Faizabad. No visit was made to Kabul

Women’s ALC – staff were interviewed at the ANAFAE headquarters. This list of Centres is

as follows:

Adult Learning Centres

ALC Aybak

ALC Charikar

ALC Faizabad

ALC Faizabad/VTC

ALC Herat

ALC Kabul 2

ALC Kabul 3

ALC Kabul Women

ALC Kundoz

ALC Maimana

ALC Mazar

ALC Pul-i-Khomri

ALC Sar-e-pol

ALC Shebergan

ALC Taloqan

Community Learning Centres

CLC Mazar 1

CLC Mazar 5

The major differences between ALCs and CLCs as currently established are as follows:

ALC CLC

Gender of

learners

Male and female (except Kabul Women’s ALC – female only)

Female only

Age of learners 15+ 10+ (in the current initial phase)

Location Provincial capital Peri-urban or rural community

Management ANAFAE control Joint ANAFAE/community control

Characteristics of ALCs and CLCs are discussed in the relevant sections of this report.

The aim of this report is not to evaluate or comment on the merits of particular centres, but

rather to draw on the experiences, circumstances and perceptions of all the centres and their

personnel in order to cast as much light as possible on the themes and areas identified as

part of the purpose of the evaluation. The report therefore does not identify the particular

centres with regard to the data obtained, the observations made or the conclusions drawn.

Clearly, all the data can be traced back, through the survey instruments used, to a particular

centre and, in most cases, to a particular person. However, there is nothing to be gained by

introducing such identification into the report and indeed it would be distracting and

misleading to do so – what is important are the patterns of observations that affect the

current work and future planning of ANAFAE.

The Lead Evaluator wishes to express his sincere thanks to all those, in the ALCs and at the

Kabul offices of ANAFAE, who contributed to the efficient implementation of the evaluation.

The readiness to cooperate, the willingness to give time for interviews, the warm reception

and the patience in coping with disruptions to their own timetable are an eloquent witness to

ANAFAE’s commitment to this evaluation. This positive environment made the process itself

a valuable and pleasant experience for the evaluation team. The constant support of dvv

6

international personnel, in Bonn and on the ground, provided a supportive basis for the

whole enterprise.

Methods and process

Organisation of the work

The evaluation was undertaken in three phases:

Development of the evaluation methodology: this resulted in an inception report

describing the approach that would be taken and presenting the instruments for data

collection; this phase was spread over August-October 2012 and included feedback

from dvv international.

Fieldwork in Afghanistan, carried out between 15 November and 15 December 2012:

a team of three people were recruited to work with the Lead Evaluator, consisting of

one evaluation specialist, Mr Ajmal Wafa, and two evaluation assistants, Mr

Faridullah Salarzai and Mr Najim Froghbic. The fieldwork period consisted of four

major parts:

o orientation of the team, translation of the eleven evaluation instruments into

Dari, and pilot testing of the methodology;

o visits and data collection at all the ALC locations;

o data translation and entry. The latter phase proved to require more time than

planned and the evaluation assistants’ contracts were prolonged accordingly

(one week);

o debriefing and feedback session with the ANAFAE leadership in Kabul, at the

end of the fieldwork phase.1

Data analysis and report writing: this phase was undertaken by the Lead Evaluator,

with support at a distance from the Evaluation Specialist; this phase took place in

December 2012 and January 2013.

Sampling

The qualitative nature of the evaluation focus meant that the perceptions and perspectives of

stakeholders were the core of the data to be collected, as explained in the Inception Report.

Thus it was critical to ensure the participation of a broad range of stakeholders, from inside

and outside ANAFAE, and to provide for representative sampling of each group. One

concern of the ToR was gender balance in the work of the ALCs, and the evaluation sought

as far as was possible to include a significant proportion of female participants in the

evaluation process (questionnaire respondents and interviewees). Overall, a little over 25%

of participants were female, with the highest participation being 44% (in two centres) and the

lowest 0% (in one centre). This is comparable to the overall gender proportion among

learners, which was 24.88% according to 2012 statistics.

A central focus of the evaluation is on the impact of ALCs on learners, and so the largest

number of participants was drawn from this category. In implementing the sampling of

current learners according the stratified method explained in the Inception report, 79.5% of

the targeted number of current learners participated in filling in the questionnaire, 60.6% of

the targeted number of graduate learners participated in filling in the relevant questionnaire,

1 See concise report of this session in Annex 3.

7

and 95% of the targeted number of current learners participated in the focus group

discussion.

For the other stakeholders, the inception report proposed a representative number per

centre. The actual numbers participating in all categories of stakeholders and across all the

evaluation instruments are shown, by centre and by gender, in the following charts. It should

be noted that some literacy personnel participated in addition to those shown.

The total number of respondents was 1,216 – 905 male and 311 female.

8

Participant sample, by Centre and by evaluation method

Evaluation

method

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Centre M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T

ALC Aybak 10 8 18 7 23 30 11 13 24 8 1 9 6 0 6 2 0 2 6 2 8 8 1 9 2 0 2 1 0 1 61 48 109

ALC Charikar 24 0 24 14 0 14 26 1 27 9 1 10 4 1 5 2 0 2 6 0 6 4 0 4 0 0 0 1 0 1 90 3 93

ALC

Faizabad

10 3 13 0 0 0 11 9 20 4 4 8 2 3 5 2 0 2 4 0 4 5 0 5 0 0 0 1 0 1 39 19 58

VTC

Faizabad

4 3 7 3 0 3 9 3 12 2 1 3 1 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 2 2 2 4 1 0 1 1 0 1 25 10 35

ALC Herat 24 26 50 18 7 25 0 0 0 10 0 10 4 1 5 2 0 2 5 0 5 10 6 16 5 1 6 1 0 1 78 41 119

ALC2 Kabul 20 27 47 8 8 16 12 2 14 9 0 9 4 1 5 2 0 2 5 0 5 9 1 10 2 0 2 2 0 2 72 39 111

ALC3 Kabul 16 4 20 9 6 15 11 7 18 7 0 7 3 1 4 2 0 2 5 0 5 1 1 2 0 0 0 1 1 2 55 20 75

ALC Kundoz 22 0 22 5 0 5 11 0 11 5 0 5 3 0 3 2 0 2 6 0 6 4 0 4 0 0 0 1 0 1 59 0 59

ALC

Maimana

10 0 10 5 0 5 12 1 13 4 1 5 3 1 4 2 0 2 4 0 4 5 1 6 0 0 0 1 0 1 46 4 50

ALC Mazar 61 26 87 12 5 17 20 6 26 10 1 11 5 1 6 2 0 2 7 1 8 12 0 12 5 1 6 2 0 2 136 41 177

CLC Mazar 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 6 8

CLC Mazar 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 6 7

ALC Pul-i-

Kumri

0 20 20 11 3 14 8 7 15 8 1 9 3 1 4 2 0 2 5 0 5 4 1 5 0 0 0 1 0 1 42 33 75

ALC Sar-i-pul 11 6 17 3 0 3 8 0 8 6 0 6 4 0 4 2 0 2 11 0 11 5 0 5 0 0 0 1 0 1 51 6 57

9

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Totals

Centre M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T M F T

ALC

Sheberghan

26 11 37 16 0 16 10 5 15 10 0 10 4 1 5 2 0 2 5 0 5 4 1 5 0 0 0 1 0 1 78 19 97

ALC Taloqan 15 3 18 19 0 19 15 10 25 7 0 7 3 0 3 2 0 2 4 0 4 4 0 4 0 0 0 1 0 1 70 13 83

ALC Kabul

Women

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 3 3

Totals 253 137 390 130 52 182 164 64 228 99 16 115 49 16 65 26 0 26 77 3 80 77 14 91 15 2 17 17 3 20 905 311 1216

Shaded cells = the participants were not available, either because they do not exist (eg no Heads of Department in CLCs) or because the ALC

is too recent (eg no graduate learners in Faizabad ALC, Kabul Women’s ALC (both launched in late 2012)).

In addition to the instruments shown in the chart above, certain selected personnel of ANAFAE were invited to give input into the evaluation.

These included:

Director of ANAFAE and Overall Manager of all education programmes

Deputy Director of ANAFAE and Manager of ALC Programme.

Coordinator for ALCs funded by the German Foreign Ministry (Auswärtiges Amt – AA) through dvv international.

Coordinator for ALCs funded by the German Cooperation Ministry (Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit – BMZ)

through dvv international.

dvv international focal point for Afghanistan.

10

Data collection

The evaluation team divided into two parts for the visits to the 17 ALCs/CLCs – see itinerary

in Annex 2. Managers of each ALC visited were responsible for organising the groups and

individuals to participate in the evaluation. With one or two exceptions, the arrangements

were made ahead of time and were satisfactory for the team’s purposes. The groups were

available at various times of day according to each centre, with the long interview with the

manager conducted at the end of the day. The time required at each centre was between ten

and twelve hours.

Data were recorded directly by learners, graduate learners and teachers on the forms

developed for the questionnaires, and on the interview and discussion guide forms by a

member of the evaluation team. All data were recorded in Dari which was the language of all

the instruments and interaction. The Lead Evaluator was able to conduct a small number of

interviews in English, principally with English teachers.

Three aspects of data collection require comment:

The target numbers for each category of participant were communicated in advance

to the managers. As indicated above for the learners, the targets were not fully met.

This was to be expected as unpredictable factors came into play. Among these were

the school and university examinations which took place during the period of the ALC

visits. This reduced the numbers of learners attending the ALC courses and thus the

number available to participate in the evaluation. Nevertheless, the response rate

overall was reasonable, with a total of 1,216 people providing input.

The stakeholder group which it was the most difficult to contact were the work

colleagues (employers, supervisors, etc) of learners, whether current or past.

Although ALC managers made contacts, interviews were carried out only in five

centres. The principal reason was that this group of people were by definition at work,

with little time to spare, with the added difficulty of arranging interviews for the single

day that the evaluators were available in each location. A further reason may be that

very few current learners have jobs, and not all past learners either, so the pool of

contacts was not large.

Literacy facilitators and supervisors were contacted in two centres, where ANAFAE

literacy classes were taking place close to the ALC. However, as indicated below, the

role of ALCs in literacy learning, and the organisational arrangements for literacy

were not entirely clear. This limited the possibility in some locations to include literacy

personnel in the evaluation.

Data analysis

Analysis of the data required six steps, as follows:

1. Compilation: following conclusion of the field visits, the data were compiled by

centre and by evaluation instrument;

2. Translation into English: all data were translated, as follows: questionnaire data

(current learners, graduate learners and teachers) were translated as they were

entered into the database for statistical analysis; all other data were translated into

separate files, for each group/person interviewed and by centre. Given the volume of

the material and the time constraints in preparing it for analysis, a translator was

hired in addition to the evaluation team for most of the non-statistical, narrative data;

11

3. Data entry: questionnaire data, and results of the individual teacher interviews, were

entered into an Excel database, using data capture forms designed on the basis of a

standard categorisation of the most frequent responses. Other data drawn from

discussion guides were entered exactly as collected – from the focus groups and the

manager’s interview;

4. Statistical analysis: this was performed on the data entered into Excel to establish

patterns of responses (percentages and absolute numbers), thus providing a

quantitative basis for the report;

5. Thematic analysis: other non-statistical data were analysed for patterns, trends and

exceptions directly from the field notes, with a focus on common characteristics

across centres and between the various participants in the evaluation;

6. Conclusions and recommendations: these were drawn from findings from the

data, with recommendations corresponding for the most part to each conclusion.

The final phase was to obtain feedback on the draft report and amend the final version

accordingly.

Courses and targeting

Target groups

The total population of Afghanistan is estimated to be something above 30 million, although

data are partial and no national census has been carried out since the 1970s. Recent

estimates of demographic structure indicate that the Afghan population is predominantly

young, with 68% of the population is under the age of 25. This puts great pressure on the

education system, which already does not reach all Afghan children and youth. It also poses

serious problems in terms of creating opportunities for paid productive work and

employment, in a context where enterprise development – and economic development

generally – is hampered by conditions of insecurity and ongoing conflict.

Somewhere between 50% and 60% of children are estimated to attend primary school. The

most recent estimates available regarding participation in secondary schooling date from

2008 and show that 23% of the male population of secondary school age are enrolled, while

only 7% of the female population are enrolled. While these figures are likely to have

improved in the last four years, it is clear that only a minority of Afghan youth have the

opportunity to progress to secondary schooling. It is from this secondary school population

that the majority of learners in ANAFAE centres is drawn.

The learners in ANAFAE’s Adult Learning Centres are overwhelmingly aged between 15 and

25 years. Some older adults attend certain courses, and some younger learners are also

found, particularly in the CLCs (see below). This age profile and the majority of courses

offered determine each other – in other words, if other courses were offered, would the age

profile change? This is currently an academic question as the definition of ANAFAE’s target

groups currently, as defined also in the terms of reference for this evaluation, is based on

youth – in school or higher education, seeking a place in higher education, seeking a job, or

in employment. The courses are designed to meet the needs of these young people in terms

of furthering their education or their career, but they are not designed to prepare them for

specific jobs or trades. Thus the target groups are those whose aims are currently to acquire

a better basis for further education or better performance in certain kinds of jobs.

12

By defining the target groups for its ALCs in this way, ANAFAE is not addressing other ‘adult’

learning needs. In passing, we should note that the name ‘Adult Learning Centre’ is

somewhat misleading, as apparently the authorities in one location have pointed out. ‘Youth

Learning Centre’

might be more

appropriate, although

at least one centre

heavily emphasizes

publicly its role as a

language and

technology institute

(see picture).

It may be seen as a

positive feature of

ANAFAE’s strategy

that it has a clearly

defined target group

and thus is clear as to

what its core purpose

is. However, it is legitimate to ask whether ANAFAE could have a valid role in meeting other

youth and adult learning needs. As indicated at various points in this report, stakeholders

themselves feel that ALCs could usefully offer relevant vocational training. The merits of this

are discussed in the conclusion section,2 but it is relevant also to the question of target

groups. In addition to the youth that attend ALC courses, ANAFAE also reaches female

adults through its literacy classes (not in focus in this evaluation); it does not reach male

adults, or adults of either sex with anything more than initial literacy skills.3 For instance,

adults seeking to develop vocational skills to capitalize on their literacy learning, whether

male or female, would have to look elsewhere. Similarly, younger or older people who wish

to acquire or improve skills in trades and crafts could find little opportunity with ANAFAE.

However, clearly such skills are desperately needed as Afghanistan develops its economy

and infrastructure, and mid-level technical, vocational and artisanal work will be crucial for

achieving quality services, in rural and urban areas. Of course, such skills are already there

to some extent and low-level opportunities for on-the-job training exist, for example in

informal workshops. However, in-depth, quality training is rare and often the basic underlying

concepts (for example, of mechanical repair, electrical installation or tailoring) may be hazy,

vague or absent. Considering ANAFAE’s role in these areas need not mean opening up to

all possible areas, but in each given context, it is worth considering whether an institution

such as an ALC can make a focused, relevant and helpful contribution to local development

through offering some vocational courses.

2 The conclusion section also discusses the reasons why the vocational courses which ANAFAE has

offered in the past were discontinued. 3 In its literacy programme, ANAFAE implements the nationally recognized 9-month learning cycle,

which combines basic literacy learning for 6 months, and 3 months of post-literacy. In practice, the

whole cycle is delivered as a seamless course of literacy skills.

13

Urban/rural background

ANAFAE’s current ALCs are all located in provincial capitals – thus in relatively urbanized

areas, from the high levels of urbanization in Kabul, Mazar and Herat, to the growing urban

centres in the other provinces. It is not surprising therefore that a key characteristic of the

groups that ANAFAE reaches is that they are urban residents – both male and female

learners, as the following charts illustrate (based on the sample of current learners):

The category ‘semi-urban was defined as living within 5km of the town, and the difference

between male and female learners is not large - 17% of male learners and 11% of female

learners. However, for those living in rural areas, nearly five times the proportion of male

learners (19%) come from a rural background, while only 4% of female learners do. Thus

overall, over one-third of male learners come from a non-urban area, while only 15% of

female learners do. There is therefore a significant gender pattern which corresponds to the

cultural norms – female learners may not travel far to attend the ALC while male learners are

free to come from a greater distance. This is a factor in keeping numbers of female learners

low, which ANAFAE needs to take into consideration. As noted below, stakeholders pleaded

Urban 71%

Semi-urban 15%

Rural 14%

Urban/rural background of all learners (%)

Urban 64%

Semi-urban 17%

Rural 19%

Urban/rural background of male learners (%)

Urban 85%

Semi-urban 11%

Rural 4%

Urban/rural background of female learners (%)

14

that ANAFAE should consider establishing ALCs in locations outside the provincial capital –

and clearly one benefit of doing so would be to enable more female learners to enrol.

Educational background

Since ALC courses are designed to give support to learning in other educational institutions,

the vast majority of learners are students in secondary or higher education – only 3% of

current learners classified themselves as not falling into this category. The following chart

shows the grade levels of all learners sampled in the evaluation, male and female.

Over half of all learners – 55.2% – are in grades 10, 11 and 12 – thus working towards the

Konkor examination at the end of grade 12. Just over one quarter – 25.2% – had completed

grade 12, with 14.1% studying in university. Those who classified themselves as ‘grade 12

graduated’ may include some who are not currently students in university or elsewhere,

given that there are inadequate places in higher education for those who are successful in

the Konkor examination. Thus ALC courses provide an avenue for learners to add skills

while searching for other study options or for work.

The 10.3% of learners in grade 9 represent the lower age bracket of ALC learners who are

all supposedly over 15. The presence of a few learners in earlier grades (grades 3, 4, 5, 7

and 8) – 6.5% of learners – is an exception and has no ready explanation. The numbers are

extremely small – only one or two learners in some of the ALCs visited – and so this does

not appear to represent a trend. Note that no CLC learners are included in this sample; the

age range there is considerably lower, as discussed elsewhere.

When disaggregating learners by gender, some different patterns emerge, as shown in the

following two charts:

Class 3 0.3%

Class 4 0.8%

Class 5 0.3%

Class 7 0.8% Class 8

4.3%

Class 9 10.3%

Class 10 17.6%

Class 11 16.8%

Class 12 20.8%

Class 12 graduated 11.1%

University student 14.1%

Not student 3.0%

All learners: educational level (%)

15

Class 4 0.8%

Class 7 0.8%

Class 8 6.4%

Class 9 15.2%

Class 10 12.0%

Class 11 12.0%

Class 12 33.6%

Class 12 graduated 7.2%

University student 8.8%

Not student 3.2%

Female learners: educational level (%)

Class 3 0.4%

Class 4 0.8%

Class 5 0.4%

Class 7 0.8%

Class 8 3.3%

Class 9 7.8%

Class 10 20.4%

Class 11 19.2%

Class 12 14.3%

Class 12 graduated 13.1%

University student 16.7%

Not student 2.9%

Male learners: educational level (%)

16

The proportions of those in grades 10, 11 and 12 do not show any great difference between

female and male learners (55.6% and 53.9% respectively). However, the proportion of post-

grade 12 (including university students) female learners is almost half that of male learners

(16% and 29.8% respectively). The most likely explanation is that young women have less

freedom to engage in ALC studies than men, although the statistics themselves give no clue

as to the possible reasons. At the lower end of the age/grade range, a higher proportion of

female learners is indicated – making up 23.2% of the total, while only 13.5% for male

learners. This difference is largely attributable to learners from grade 9, where the proportion

of female learners is almost double that of male learners – 15.2% as against 7.8%

respectively. This particular finding may be a result of the structure of the sample. However,

these gender-disaggregated data show that significant differences exist in terms of the

learner profile from various levels of education – the female learners being far more likely to

be school students (81.7% of the sample), than male learners, of whom 68.3% were still at

school.

The overall message of these data is obvious but worth repeating: ANAFAE overwhelmingly

targets those who are already benefiting from education to a fairly high level, not those who

have no or few opportunities for educational advancement. ANAFAE offers significant further

opportunities to its learners through ALCs, as indicated at various points throughout this

report. The ALC programme does not however open up opportunities for the many millions

with no or low education.

Family educational background

Another important variable in understanding the profile of the ALC learners is the family

background from which they come, particularly in terms of the educational status of their

relatives. The following chart shows what proportion of learners in the sample had relatives

who had had some schooling; each learner was requested to indicate whether the relatives

of the categories shown in the chart had attended or were attending school.

This chart situates the current learners with regard to the participation of their families in

education, in three ways:

Gender difference: the chart illustrates what is well known in Afghanistan, namely

that women participate less in education than men. It is nevertheless significant that

more female siblings than mothers are educated, showing that female participation is

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Educatedfather

Educatedmother

Educatedolder brother

Educatedolder sister

Educatedyoungerbrother

Educatedyounger

sister

Proportion of sampled learners with educated relative shown (%)

17

increasing over the generations. However, the gender difference persists in the

current generation, with more male than female siblings receiving an education.

Intergenerational educational development: 59% of learners have an educated

father, and 33% an educated mother. This means however that for the 41% without

either educated parent, they are the first generation to obtain schooling.

Intra-generational educational development: within their own generation it is clear

that participation in education continues to increase. While 64% have an educated

older brother, this rises to 80% for those with an educated younger brother. Thus a

majority of current learners come from families where education is a growing value.

These data confirm once again that the ALC programmes are providing new opportunities

for young people whose backgrounds may or may not have given priority to education in the

past, and who are part of a rising generation participating ever more fully in such

opportunities.

CLC target groups

Community Learning Centres (CLCs) are a special case in terms of targeting. Currently,

ANAFAE has recently opened two such centres, in Districts 1 and 5 of the Mazar-e-Sharif

conurbation, and has the probable intention of operating a further eight in the same region,

taking over disused community learning facilities. At the time of the evaluation, both CLCs

had been operating for less than three months, with an initial enrolment that will grow in

future. These CLCs are open only to female learners, and the courses and conditions of

access are determined by negotiation with the community leadership. In contrast to ALCs,

CLCs are much more community-owned, and the expressed needs of the community drive

what the CLC does. The chart of course offerings below (Section Courses offered) indicates

that, at the current early stage of development, CLCs offer a smaller range of courses than

ALCs, but basically with the same focus on English, mathematics and IT/computing. The

difference lies in the age range of the target group.

Both CLCs currently operating have been open for less than three months each, and in one

case five classrooms are still being finished. These factors play a role in what is offered and

who/how many come to study. In addition to learners in the usual 15+ age range, a

distinguishing feature of both CLCs is the presence of learners under 15 years of age, and

with some under 10 years of age. These girls are by definition all in school and they come to

the CLC for supplementary instruction – in order to improve their performance at school.

When asked about the need for the CLC to offer such instruction, both managers indicated

that this is what the community wishes the CLC to do… and it is their centre. However, this

phenomenon raises several questions:

18

Is ANAFAE now offering parallel primary schooling? It is tempting for the community,

or certain members within it, to spot an opportunity through ANAFAE to give their

girls a head start in primary schooling. The difficulty is that the CLCs then become in

practice a parallel system, driven not by community learning needs as such, but by

the desire of parents for extra help for their girls.

How will ANAFAE control demand? Once CLCs show that the girls do in fact achieve

better in school as a result of CLC courses, the demand will only grow. In theory, it

could reach a stage where all the girls in the CLC catchment area attend extra tuition,

with a corresponding demand on resources of teachers, space, equipment, etc.

Is it ANAFAE’s role to make up for low quality schooling at this level? If so, how

should ANAFAE best address this? The fundamental problem is the low quality of

primary schooling in the public schools. If ANAFAE considers that it wishes to, or

must, respond to community demand to address this issue, is a parallel system for

girls the best contribution that ANAFAE can make? There are other options,

principally to find ways to work with the public schools, the principals and teachers to

raise the quality. Could ANAFAE, for instance, offer courses to the (female) teachers,

to improve their knowledge and skills?

We should note that the CLC courses in English and computing are largely additional to

primary schooling courses, but similar questions apply as to whether ANAFAE should offer

them to children under 15. The CLCs are newly established and in a phase of dynamic

development – ongoing discussions with the community and the ANAFAE management

should clarify these questions.

Targeting girls and women

The overall proportion of female learners in ALCs is around 26%, with variation from over

40% in Kabul, to around 10% in some provinces. It is ANAFAE’s aim to raise the level of

female participation, and this is a critical need in Afghanistan, as girls have only begun to

access education since 2001. With many girls now reaching the end of secondary school,

the demand for support through Konkor classes, for other school subjects, and subjects to

support those in tertiary education will continue to grow.

The issue of increasing the number of female learners is no easy question in Afghanistan,

given the strongly held values about gender separation and many fundamental beliefs which

persist regarding the secondary status of women, the pressure to exercise male control over

them, and the deep fears about female autonomy and independence. ANAFAE’s

contribution in such a situation is already considerable, both by offering courses equally to

girls, by running some institutions exclusively for female education (one ALC, two CLCs,

adult literacy classes), and by refusing (thus far) to bow to undoubted pressure to separate

male and female learners in most of the ALCs.

These issues and possible ways forward to increase female enrolment are discussed at

various points in this report, since they were raised by a variety of stakeholders. At this point,

it is important to note that no more than ten learners, male or female, made any comments

on the current situation of ANAFAE’s practice of running mixed classes, a practice which is

based on the well-established pattern of mixed groups in higher education in Afghanistan. In

other words, the gender issue is not an educational one – current arrangements in ALCs do

not affect the quality of learning or learner achievement – but a social and cultural one, in

which ANAFAE sends a message about gender equality; see subsequent sections for further

discussion.

19

Literacy links

ANAFAE’s main literacy programme is distinct from the ALC programme, and this evaluation

was not tasked with a close examination of the literacy work. In fact, an extensive internal

evaluation of the literacy programme had completed its fieldwork stage shortly before the

start of the fieldwork for this evaluation. This section of the report will therefore focus on the

links that exist between the ALCs and literacy provision.

A section on literacy was included in the interview with each ALC manager, and questions

were answered differently depending on how closely the ALC was involved in literacy. In

addition, an interview guide was prepared for literacy facilitators; in practice only seven

literacy facilitators were interviewed, in connection with visits to two centres. The principal

reason for the low number of interviewees was that most literacy facilitators are not attached

directly to an ALC, but work in literacy centres located in villages largely in rural areas.

Of the 17 ALCs/CLCs, six indicated that they have some role in providing literacy to adult

illiterates; literacy provision is aimed at female learners. The nature of the involvement is of

three different kinds:

ALCs have literacy classes operating on their premises and take some responsibility

for supervision and training;

ALCs have literacy classes operating on their premises, but the classes are managed

separately and the ALC has no involvement;

Literacy classes are organised in separate literacy centres, in villages, and have no

connection with the ALC in the nearest provincial capital.

In all cases, since the programme is separate from the ALC programme, it is managed (and

funded) separately – with the ANAFAE literacy team in Kabul organising and managing the

process. The local government Literacy Department is also involved in training facilitators

and in supervising the classes, often jointly.

One ALC manager indicated that they were involved in training literacy facilitators – in Kabul.

The newly established women’s ALC in Kabul showed the greatest degree of integration of

literacy learning into the Centre, although the numbers of literacy learners is as yet very low

For all the rural literacy facilitators, the local ALC has no role at present; in some cases, the

rural literacy classes are distant from any ALC and no connection is possible, particularly

because most of the learners are female and thus not able to travel long distances.

Asked about the transition of learners from literacy classes to ALC courses, two ALC

managers reported that some enrol in English and computer classes once they have

completed literacy learning.

The information reported by the seven literacy facilitators relates to their training and

functioning in the literacy programme – the recent evaluation will provide a great deal more

data on this than can be usefully reported on here. Suffice it to say here that some of the

responses of these facilitators echoed those of ALC stakeholders, notably in terms of:

Providing vocational training – in this case as a means for literacy learners to make

the most of their newly acquired skills. Of course, these would be potential learners in

ALC vocational courses, if they were to be offered.

Providing more learning centres in local areas – while this is critical for the young and

adult women in literacy learning, it was a theme of ALC stakeholders also.

Integrating new literates into ALC courses – demand for English and computing on

the part of new literates is strong and could therefore be an area for more joint

20

planning and implementation between the ALC programme and the literacy

programme.

Two literacy facilitators provided useful statements of why learners are seeking literacy skills:

“…even the smallest problem in life cannot be solved without education and

knowledge.”

“…being educated is very important for them in the both individual and social life.”

The main impression of this snapshot of the links between literacy provision and the ALCs is

that the relationship is ambiguous. Literacy is neither fully integrated into ALC programmes,

nor completely separate. In addition, the possible transition of learners from literacy learning

to ALC courses seems to be ad hoc and on a personal basis – there is no joint planning to

facilitate this for learners.

Thus ANAFAE should consider, on the one hand, how ALCs can be more actively involved

in literacy provision, and, on the other, how literacy provision connects – for the learners –

with other courses that ANAFAE has to offer. Literacy provision is an absolutely key

contribution to education and development in Afghanistan, as ANAFAE is well aware, and it

should be integrated as much as possible with other learning opportunities. It is clear from

the ANAFAE literacy facilitators, and no doubt from the learners themselves, as well as from

learners in government and other literacy programmes that literacy is a tool for further

development, not an end in itself. Those who acquire literacy want to use literacy for

improving the quality of their lives – this means connecting literacy with vocational

opportunities and further learning.

21

Courses offered

Currently the courses offered by the 15 ALCs and 2 CLCs are shown in the following table, with an indication of those courses that have

recently been closed and those which are expected to be started or re-started in the near future.

IT Language Science Social

Househ

old

mana

ge

ment

Offic

e s

kill

s

Konkor

Litera

cy

Eng

lish

Oth

er

lan

gua

ges

Math

s

Physic

s

Chem

istr

y

Bio

logy

Qura

n

Dari lan

g

Art

Bea

uty

Journ

alis

m

Adult Learning Centres – ALC

ALC Aybak

ALC Charikar *

ALC Faizabad *

ALC Faizabad/VTC

ALC Herat P* *

ALC Kabul 2 **

ALC Kabul 3 AFIR * * * * *

ALC Kabul Women

ALC Kundoz P

22

IT Language Science Social

Househ

old

mana

ge

ment

Offic

e s

kill

s

Konkor

Litera

cy

Eng

lish

Oth

er

lan

gua

ges

Math

s

Physic

s

Chem

istr

y

Bio

logy

Qura

n

Dari lan

g

Art

Bea

uty

Journ

alis

m

ALC Maimana T P* *

ALC Mazar P T*

ALC Pul-i-Khomri *

ALC Sar-e-pol T *

ALC Shebergan T

ALC Taloqan * * *

Community Learning Centres – CLC

CLC Mazar 1 *

CLC Mazar 5

*= Temporarily discontinued, to be re-launched.

**= Taught in local schools by ALC staff.

Other languages: A=Arabic; F=French; I=Italian: P=Pashto; R=Russian; T=Turkish

Note that in most centres mathematics is split into courses on arithmetic/basic maths, algebra and trigonometry; IT includes courses in the

various components of Microsoft Office, and in some cases, computer-assisted design.

23

The sample of this evaluation, as indicated in the methodology section, was designed in

such a way as to ensure representation of learners from a maximum number of different

subjects. However, in practice this stratification could not be strictly implemented since

learners come at different times of day, and of course learners are much more numerous in

some subjects than others. However, the following charts give a sense of the proportions of

students choosing the courses that ALCs offer:

The dominance of English, maths and IT/computing is clear, but the reasons are different.

Focus group discussions with learners in a number of ALCs on why English and IT are so

popular linked these subjects very strongly to job opportunities – however, learners are

aiming for a certain kind of job, one that offers greater salary and greater prospects of further

career development. At this stage of Afghanistan’s development, the IT sector and its

applications across the professional and personal world are growing rapidly, and there are

few who have the necessary skills. Only in the last 10 years have such skills begun to

appear in the Afghan labour market. Similarly, English offers opportunities in organisations

that have international connections – either with the many international agencies working

within Afghanistan or with other countries. It is surprising but nevertheless true that service

industries across Afghanistan find they need to use English for a range of client and supplier

communications. Thus the jobs that are looking to the future and to the wider connections of

Afghanistan with the rest of the world require IT and English skills. We should also note the

Quran 1.4

English 39.2

IT 17.8

Maths 21.0

Physics 2.3

Chemistry 1.4

Science 2.3

Geometry 1.6 Trigonometry 2.1

Konkor 0.7 Social studies 3.2

Office skills 5.1

Household management 1.6

Journalism 0.2

Subjects studied by current learners (%)

24

link between these skills – the norm for the interface language of Windows and Microsoft

Office in Afghanistan is, for better or worse, English.

The high proportion of learners studying mathematics is probably a function of the difficulty

of that subject for many (a fact attested across the world) as well as low-quality teaching and

low achievement in the school environment. It is in mathematics that some school teachers

have come to an ALC to update themselves to cope with teaching new elements of the

maths curriculum – these account however for only a small percentage of learners. Most are

in ALC maths courses in order to raise their school scores.

Many of the other subjects are related to reinforcement of learning at school, with the

exception of office skills and household management, which show important gender

differences. The gender breakdown of subjects studied is shown in the following charts:

Quran 4%

English 39%

IT 8%

Maths 26%

Physics 1%

Chemistry 0% Science 2%

Geometry 2%

Trigonometry 3% Konkor 0%

Social studies 0%

Office skills 9%

Household management 5%

Journalism 1%

Subjects studied by current female learners (%)

25

Regarding major gender differences, we note the following:

Household management: this course is targeted at female learners exclusively.

Quran: male learners have access to Quran courses at the mosque, but this is

restricted for female learners. Hence female learners who wish to gain a first-hand

knowledge of the content of the Quran sign up in centres like the ALCs.

Office skills: in terms of percentages, three times more female learners are enrolled

in this course than male learners (9% ~ 3%). This finding emerged only after

analysing the data, so there is no direct evidence from stakeholders as to why this

might be the case. We might, however, surmise that female learners perceive that

there are more jobs for them in office support roles requiring these skills. Whether the

labour market is in fact structured in that way, given the barriers to female

employment in general, lies beyond the scope of this analysis.

Mathematics: Again, it is difficult to explain why more female learners appear to be

enrolled in mathematics, and we cannot rule out the nature of the evaluation sample

as a factor.

IT/Computing: the 3x higher percentage of male learners may again be a result of

how learners see the job market – jobs such as accounting, computer teaching,

graphic design and others may be more easily accessible to men rather than women.

As mentioned earlier, ANAFAE does not currently offer vocational training as such, however

some of the courses offered are more oriented to particular job opportunities. Courses in

computer graphics and computer hardware repair, which are on offer in some ALCs or are

planned for the near future, provide skills which can be marketed in the growing urban

market for computer-based services.

Quran 0%

English 41%

IT 24%

Maths 14%

Physics 3%

Chemistry 2%

Science 3%

Geometry 2%

Trigonometry 2% Konkor 1%

Social studies 5%

Office skills 3%

Household management 0%

Journalism 0%

Subjects studied by current male learners (%)

26

Special mention should be made of the art courses, such as the highly popular course in

ALC Kabul 2. These courses differ in purpose from many of the other courses, as they are

not related directly to supporting school studies or acquiring job-related skills. Personal

interest, developing talent and potential and exploring cultural aspects of Afghan life are the

major dimensions of these courses. Indeed, they are a major contribution to cultural

development, enabling learners to express their perceptions of Afghan society and culture

and producing some quality work which is significant in terms of national development. As

far as possible, ANAFAE should encourage and support such courses, and give opportunity

for the learners’ work to be known more widely, for example through periodic exhibitions

(see examples of classes and a painting of an Afghan town, below).

Learner perspectives

A major purpose of the evaluation is to document the impact on learners. While this is most

clearly seen in the outcomes that learners achieve on the basis of their studies, the effects of

the process of learning and the whole ALC experience are an important indicator of the

overall impact on learners. Thus the evaluation asked current and graduate learners several

questions:

What methods did your teacher use in the course?

Did you get individual help from the teacher?

How satisfied are you with your learning experience?

What was the most difficult part of the course?

What did you enjoy about the course?

What would suggest in order to improve the course?

27

In asking about teaching methods, the aim was to understand how far the learners perceive

that the teacher uses varied and interactive methods – variety and learner involvement are

known to be more effective learning strategies than merely talking from the front (lecture

style). As can be seen from the following chart, learners identified the lecture approach as

the most common, but not excessively so. The combined total number of responses for the

other classroom methods – group work, pair work and individual support – is in fact greater.

Clearly, teachers also assign homework on a regular basis.

It is encouraging to see that the non-lecture methods are so strongly represented, and this is

another aspect of quality learning. In focus groups, learners called these ‘advanced

methods’ and commented that such methods are not being used in other institutes. The

positive views of ALC teaching on the part of other stakeholders (families, community

leaders – see below) can be explained partly by this variety of teaching strategies.

Learners in one of the focus groups made an interesting comment about pedagogical

method:

They should ask more questions from students – students should work more

than the teachers, because we want to participate more in the class activities.

The few classroom observations that time allowed us to make in the course of this

evaluation also showed that teachers had a tendency to keep presenting material without

checking learner understanding by asking questions and for other types of feedback. This

echoes the concern voiced in this report that greater attention must be paid to pedagogical

method, alongside the strong existing emphasis on mastery of the subject and the material.

A further aspect of quality learning is the extent to which a teacher gives individual attention

to learners. ALC classes are not large (up to 30 students per class in most cases) and so a

teacher should be well able to follow individual learners’ progress and to give attention to

their challenges. The following chart shows that most learners felt they received individual

attention either several times per lesson or occasionally. Interestingly, those receiving

F F F F F M M M M M Total Total Total Total Total 0

50

100

150

200

250

300

lecture work in groups work in pairs Individual support homework

Teaching methods: experience of current learners (numbers of responses)

28

attention only once were few – an indicator perhaps that where a teacher has the habit of

giving individual attention, s/he does so often, while others tend to do so only occasionally. It

is heartening to see that very few learners responded by saying that they never received

individual attention. Referring to the relationship between teachers and learners, one focus

group agreed that there is ‘mutual cooperation between teachers and students.’

In terms of explanations for the differences in individual attention, the data by centre shows

that there is a tendency for the larger centres (eg Kabul 2, Mazar and Herat) to provide only

occasional individual help. However, this phenomenon could only be assessed in detail by

conducting in-depth observation of classroom dynamics.

Learners were asked to identify those aspects of their learning experience that they found

difficult. No pre-conceived responses were offered, and so learners were free to comment on

any aspect they chose. The following chart indicates the range of responses:

F F F F M M M M Total Total Total Total 0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

several times once occasionally never

Individual teacher support: current learner responses (amount of support per lesson)

29

The largest category is simply ‘subjects’, which is a way of saying that they find the course

challenging, and does not require further comment. The reference to teachers and materials

indicates that some students find that the support they receive for learning is hard to follow –

this can be a function of their own capacity, but it may be due to poor quality teaching or

inappropriate materials. Since ALCs monitor teacher performance relatively closely (see

section on Teacher Training below), it may be assumed that this area is under constant

review. Facilities and classrooms were identified as difficult aspects by a total of almost a

quarter of learners (23%) – this refers to the quality of lighting and furniture, and perhaps

also to sanitary facilities. Inadequate space may also be a concern, particularly in those

ALCs that use basement facilities which become quite crowded and have no external space

at all.

We should also note the concern about the level of fees, a point which emerged from all

stakeholders and which affects the poorer families. The comment about the distance from

the centre came from female learners in two centres.

With the benefit of hindsight, ALC graduates cited the same aspects as difficult, but in rather

different proportions – see following chart.

Concern over fees, facilities and subjects appears to have waned considerably; teachers are

slightly less in focus. On the other hand, a higher proportion of graduates felt that the

materials, the classrooms and the time available had been difficult. Perceptions of

classrooms and materials are important, because graduates will have had the opportunity to

experience other institutions – places of work, other educational institutes, or other kinds of

locations. The increased concern for the time available may reflect the feeling that they

wished to learn more of the subject matter or to have the chance to master it better.

Teachers 15%

Materials 11%

Subjects 24%

Available time 7%

Facilities 20%

Classrooms 3%

Fees 15%

Distance from the ALC 3%

Other students 2%

Difficult aspects of ALC courses: current learner perceptions

30

Learners were also asked to identify what they enjoyed most about the course. Again, they

were free to comment on any aspect of their experience, and the responses fell into the

categories shown in the following chart. Note that some features identified by learners as

difficult were, for others, a positive feature.

Once again, it is the dimensions of quality that receive the most comments – teachers,

materials, methods and discipline. Reference to ‘discipline’ is perhaps unexpected, but is an

indication that students appreciate the serious nature of the ALC approach where learners

are expected to keep high standards of personal behaviour and to take responsibility for their

own learning. Comparing this comment with other, less formal input, we can safely assume

Teachers 12%

Materials 23%

Subjects 8% Available time

15%

Facilities 12%

Classrooms 14%

Fees 6%

Distance to the course

8%

Other students 2%

Difficult aspects of ALC courses: ALC graduate perceptions

Teachers 28%

Materials 11%

Subjects 4% Methods 10%

Discipline 13%

Time available 3%

Fees 2%

Facilities 6%

Classes 4%

Other students 3%

All aspects 16%

Most enjoyable aspects of ALC courses: current learner perceptions

31

that learners are also comparing their ALC experience with what they know of other

institutions where discipline is lax.

We should also note that facilities and classrooms are not considered a positive feature by

many students – echoing the perceptions described above. It is a compliment to ANAFAE

that 16% of learners responded that they enjoyed ‘all aspects’ of their experience – there

were no learners who said the opposite in answer to the previous question. No-one found all

aspects of their experience difficult.

A comparison with the perception of ALC graduates showed a similar distribution of aspects,

with the addition of ‘management’ – an aspect that probably appears more salient in

retrospect than at the time. There is an increase in the proportion of those who listed all

aspects as enjoyable, as well as a small increase in the percentage indicating teachers.

Learners were also asked to rank their overall experience on a four-point scale: were they

“very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, not satisfied or disappointed” with their learning

experience? A four-point scale was used to avoid having a middle option which otherwise

many could have chosen. The results are shown in the following chart:

Teachers 31%

Materials 11%

Subjects 2%

Methods 3%

Discipline 15%

Time available 1%

Fees 0%

Facilities 5%

Management 7%

Classrooms 2%

Other students 1%

All aspects 22%

Most enjoyable aspects of ALC courses: ALC graduate perceptions

32

There is no need for comment on these results – an indication that on the whole learners are

finding what they need at the ALC. Of course, it must be remembered that they are paying

for what they get and that they are studying voluntarily. They have therefore chosen the ALC

as the best option for them. Nevertheless, it is again a compliment to ANAFAE that the

overwhelming majority are ‘very satisfied’ and that no learners said they were ‘not satisfied’

or ‘disappointed’.

In several focus groups, learners gave one reason for preferring ALCs over other institutes,

namely that ALCs are permanent and some other institutes disappear after a while. This is

significant for two reasons: first, learners can count on continuing their learning without fear

of disruption and can recommend ALCs to others, knowing that it will continue in the next

years; second, learners have the option of interrupting their studies and then returning to

take another course later. Being permanent is therefore a contribution to ongoing learning

across the community; it also shows that ALCs are serious, committed for the longer term,

and at the service of the community – not merely existing as a money-making enterprise,

which is no doubt the case with many ‘temporary’ institutes.

Learners were also asked about how the ALC courses could be improved. They made many

suggestions – those that were mentioned by more than one learner fell into two clear groups

across the whole sample of current learners: suggestions made by more than 20 learners,

and those made by less than 10 learners. Suggestions made by only one learner are not

included. In order of frequency of occurrence the suggestions were as follows:

Suggestions made by 20 or more learners:

hire skilful teachers

increase and update the materials

establish courses in other locations

conduct vocational classes

conduct classes in new subjects

decrease the fees

Suggestions made by 2 to 10 learners:

extend the lesson time

laboratory

internet facilities

female office staff and teachers

F

F F F

M

M M M

Total

Total Total Total

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

very satisfied somewhat satisfied not satisfied disappointed

Current Learner Satisfaction (numbers of responses)

33

library

more classroom facilities

change the method of teaching

more advertisements

The first set of suggestions addresses the basic building blocks of learning – teachers and

materials, and the desire to see ALCs expand both in number and in scope of courses.

ANAFAE’s concern to upgrade the quality of learning is echoed by the learners themselves

who are looking for quality input from teachers and adequate materials that are up to date.

The desire for more materials may in fact reflect ANAFAE’s success in producing relevant

textbooks and manuals – learners recognise their value and want more of them.

The plea to conduct vocational courses was voiced universally by all the stakeholders

interviewed (see also the following section), and it is clearly an area that ANAFAE will need

to take seriously. Although it cannot be deduced from the responses, it is probably the case

that learners see work opportunities in a range of vocational jobs, but do not have access to

quality training in those areas. This is further discussed in the conclusions.

The level of fees is a constant concern, obviously for some more than others. ANAFAE

needs to monitor the impact of fee levels and adjust accordingly, with a keen eye on how

they affect the poorer sections of the population – see also next section.

The second set of suggestions is a mixed bag. Learners are clearly interested in having

greater access to learning resources (internet, library, laboratory), and ANAFAE should

consider in the longer term how such facilities could be made available. Providing internet

access is a logical extension of the existing computer courses/facilities, as long as care is

taken to ensure the educational use of the internet, not merely as recreation. Some learners

may in fact be looking simply for a way to connect cheaply and easily for e-mail, facebook

and other purposes, since internet access is not readily available in homes or other

institutions. It is obvious that ANAFAE cannot offer such a service.

These suggestions were echoed almost exactly by the learners meeting in focus groups.

Community and family perspectives

The community leaders consulted for this evaluation were entirely positive about the role of

the ALC in general.4 Only in one ALC were the community leaders attending the centre for

the first time. Many others have their own children in ALC courses, and some had

encouraged local young people to sign up.

When community leaders and family members were asked about the courses that the ALC

should offer and about the skills that they felt were necessary in the community, there was a

strong consensus in favour of including vocational courses, since they prepare learners for

jobs in a difficult employment environment. Also, some leaders observed that adult learners

(as distinct from young people) would be more likely to attend and benefit from vocational

training. They were also in favour of retaining all the current courses, particularly those that

enable students to succeed in school. Indeed, several groups of leaders commented that

ALC students achieve better marks at school. The additional courses proposed by both

community leaders and family members are the following:

4 One might reasonably presume that the more enthusiastic supporters of the ALC were the ones to

respond to the invitation to take part in the evaluation.

34

For female learners For male learners

Weaving Electronics and computer/mobile phone repair

Tailoring Plumbing

Dressmaking Wiring

Embroidery Mechanics – car and motorcycle

Cooking House painting and tiling

Engineering

Masonry and building

Carpentry and metalwork

For both

Advanced computer programs

Calligraphy

Administration and management

Other languages: Pashto, Chinese, Russian

Islamic subjects

Art: painting and drawing

ANAFAE has offered vocational courses in the past, but does not do so now. Clearly there is

demand, and the options for opening such courses again are discussed in the conclusions.

Other target groups were proposed by community leaders and family members:

Other kinds of courses: family members proposed other kinds of courses for different

target groups, in particular courses for primary school students, as well as literacy

courses for illiterate men. ANAFAE offers some courses for younger children (girls) in

the CLCs, and offers literacy to women. The significance of these suggestions is

above all that ALCs should be aware of community learning needs and managers

need to be ready to negotiate with community members about the courses they offer.

This certainly does not mean simply offering whatever the community expresses a

need for, but it does mean remaining flexible and open and considering what the role

of the ALC could be in reaching new target groups in each different context.

Fees: another target group mentioned was the poorest families, with a suggestion

that fees should be decreased or waived for them. Some community leaders also

raised this issue. A screening process would be difficult to administer, but it would be

worth dialoguing with community leaders about how it might work so that the poorest

families are not excluded from education by default.

Location: a further aspect of targeting addressed the location of the ALC. Half of the

community leaders stressed the need for the local ALC to establish branches outside

the provincial capital as young people from other districts are not able to reach the

ALC. Specific places were mentioned where the leaders knew of potential learners in

adequate numbers to justify launching courses. Family members also noted that

some of the centres did not have adequate space for the numbers of learners

wishing to enrol and wished to see new branches opening in different parts of the

town – this would also make the centres more accessible.

In more general educational terms, leaders and family members responded to the question

whether they saw a difference in ALC students. Some commented on the fundamental

35

difference between being educated/literate or uneducated/illiterate, while others spoke of

improved behaviour because of the methods and environment in the ALC:

Less impoliteness

Improvement in manners and talent

More respect and better behaviour

They take 1st position in every competition with other schools and courses

“I am proud of my son, studying in ALC.”

Community leaders argued

in favour of more

involvement in the ALC, from

holding monthly meetings to

stay informed of progress, to

wishing to be part of the of

the process of choosing

teachers. These

perspectives could be

accommodated by

establishing a local advisory

group, meeting occasionally.

Care should be taken in

ensuring that such a group is

not given any management

functions, by design or by

default – the role must be

entirely advisory, with the

encouragement of local community members to support the ALC and be its advocates

among the population. This is clearly the case already in

some locations, and a further development of community

relations will enhance this role.

Female learners

It is one of ANAFAE’s stated aims to increase the

proportion of female learners. Community leaders, family

members and ANAFAE staff were consulted on how best

to do this, and indeed whether there is community

support for more female education.

Community leaders commented on the need for female

education (see box), with one reference to the fact that

girls and women previously had no access to education.

These positive attitudes among the community are highly

significant in a cultural setting where the status of

women remains secondary and where huge barriers

remain for girls and women to achieve their potential and

make their contribution to national development. In this

regard, we should note that the Manager of the Kabul

Women’s ALC, when as ked if her learners discuss their

Female education: community

leaders said…

“There is no society without

existence of women, we want

women to work side by side with

their brothers, husbands , and

families. Everyone wishes their

daughters and sisters to learn

something.”

“…learning knowledge for girls

and boys is a must. Girls should

learn knowledge because they

can help others, specially their

children, and then society will

have knowledgeable people.”

“Girls could not study, and were

far from education.”

Community leaders give input on ALCs

36

rights and life chances, replied that indeed they do raise these issues in the ALC. One of

their most common reactions is to express what they would really like to do – mobility,

freedoms, job opportunities, but to immediately comment: “We cannot do what we would like

to do.” ANAFAE’s work through ALCs gives opportunity for more girls and young women to

dream bigger dreams and to acquire the intellectual tools to work towards realizing them.

How long it will be in Afghanistan before girls’ aspirations can be freely realized depends on

many factors which ANAFAE cannot control and can hardly influence. It can nevertheless

show that there is a way forward and that equality

of opportunity is possible.

Family members, by definition, have little concern

about mixed classes, since they already send

both their male and female relatives to study in

the ALC context. Indeed, some made positive

statements about male and female students

learning together (see box). On the other hand,

family members who were interviewed

recognized that many other families would much

prefer that ALC classes were separate for male

and female, and, like the community leaders, they

felt that separate classes would result in greater

numbers of female learners attending ALC

courses.

We should note that even among those who

support female education, there are reservations about the way that ANAFAE goes about

promoting it. Thus, the way in which community leaders wish to achieve greater female

education is largely through establishing separate classes or even separate centres – most

groups of community leaders expressed this point of view. We must note, of course, that

many of these leaders have their own female family members in an ALC, so that their

comments relate to the community as a whole, not necessarily to their own behavior.

Family members are positive

about mixed male/female classes:

“No problem if they are learning

together, there will be good

competition between them.”

“In our view the mixed classes can

be a factor for their further

improvement and the competences

between them will be increased.”

“We don’t have any problem;

everyone has his/ her own

responsibilities to learn. We have not

heard any complaint yet.”

37

Community leaders also referred to offering more subjects for female learners (see above)

and to recruiting more female teachers.

The merits of the various options for ANAFAE to promote female participation in ALCs are

discussed in the conclusions section.

Impact on learners

Learners attend ALCs with the hope of improving their

life chances, whether by acquiring skills that will help

them in their life, or by attaining higher scores in their

school subjects and the Konkor examination.

However, there is very little hard evidence on the

actual i