Afghanistan, Jan. 24 -- UN agencies UNICEF and UNESCO warned on World Education Day that Afghanistan faces a severe learning crisis affecting millions of children nationwide.
UNICEF and UNESCO said in a joint statement on Saturday, January 24, that 93% of children in Afghanistan cannot read adequately by the end of primary school.
The agencies also said 2.2 million adolescent girls remain out of school, deepening gender gaps and long-term risks for the country's education system.
Preliminary findings from a 2025 study show students perform significantly better in schools where most teachers hold university degrees, particularly in language learning.
Soohyun Kim, UNESCO's representative in Afghanistan, said denying girls access to educat...