Primary and secondary curriculum development in Afghanistan

The article analyzes curriculum processes and products pertaining to the overall reconstruction of Afghanistan’s education system after 2002. With the support of several international agencies, including UNESCO’s International Bureau of Education (IBE), as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education succeeded in making important progress with regard to quality education, curriculum planning and design. Based on a careful analysis of needs, new curriculum frameworks for primary and secondary education were developed over the period 2002–2006, and syllabuses and textbooks for primary and secondary education will be developed and disseminated in schools across the country. However, many challenges remain to be tackled, especially with regard to the dissemination of a new curriculum culture and the writing, printing and distribution of quality syllabuses and textbooks at all education levels. The article highlights both the achievements and the obstacles standing in the way of comprehensive curriculum reforms taking place in the difficult context of reconstructing a cohesive societal infrastructure in a country, such as Afghanistan, that is affected by conflict.

Dakmara GeorgescuEmail:

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Dakmara Georgescu (Romania)   is co-ordinator of the IBE’s Technical Assistance Programme (Curriculum Development). Graduated in 1982 from the University of Bucharest (Philosophy and History School). She worked as a teacher, researcher and co-ordinator of the Social Studies Committee of the Romanian National Curriculum Council (1995–1997). From 1997 to 2000 she was advisor to the Minister of Education co-ordinating the primary and secondary curriculum and textbook reform. Since 2000, she has been the IBE’s co-ordinator and resource person in Kosovo, the Gulf countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan, the Caucasus Region, Mauritius, Sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq. She has published widely on the philosophy of teaching, curriculum reforms, citizenship and human rights education.