Afghanistan has been facing a massive humanitarian crisis, and that is why UNICEF is providing emergency cash support to public school teachers so that the girls and boys can continue learning. An additional USD 250 million is needed to ensure schools in the country can stay open.
The only aim of UNICEF is to ensure that each and every child can learn and go to school. That is why they are providing emergency cash to support all public education teachers for the months of January and February.
The EU provided the payment- amounting to the equivalent of $100 a month in Afghani, per teacher, including male and female, can enjoy the benefits an estimated 194,000 public school teachers nationwide to recognize their crucial role in the education of millions of children in Afghan.
The teachers are part of all public and Primary Secondary schools, Technical and Vocational Institutions and Teacher’s Training Centres.
According to ‘Mohamed Ayoya’ UNICEF Afghanistan representative, “teachers are suffering from the past few months. Ayoya added that they are pleased to extend emergency support to public school teachers in Afghanistan who have shown no efforts to keep children learning.
UNICEF need an additional USD 250 million in order to be capable enough to support the public school’s teachers and at the same time also need more donors who are ready to help us in funding this critical initiative. This is an essential step so that education won’t stop for girls and boys.
UNICEF also wanted to strengthen the broader education system in Afghanistan, including support to community-based education, distribution of teaching and learning materials and training of teachers, mainly female teachers.
As it is a common practice for UNICEF in other countries, a robust monitoring process is underway. They include verifying public school teachers’ ID and attendance; also making an agile payment strategy: devising a post-distribution monitoring and grievance mechanism, and engaging an official third-party monitoring agency to verify the results independently.
Nearly 8.8 million children are presently attending schools in Afghanistan. UNICEF resumes advocating, at all levels, for all girls and boys to be able to return to school following the current winter break.
School is more than a structure where children learn. It is the safest place for children from the physical dangers around them- including abuse and exploitation and which can offer them much needed psychosocial support.