Household and student survey-based evidence on girls secondary education in Afghanistan

Abstract

Afghanistan has long had one of the poorest education records in the world and females in particular have exceptionally low rates of literacy. This paper presents descriptive evidence using novel survey data that 1) peer-to-peer mentorship can improve girls math and reading performance and, 2) that maternal education is positively related to the likelihood that girls are involved in schooling decisions and this involvement is positively associated with attendance. Moreover, the data is consistent with teacher education being positively associated with higher academic achievement, and student-teacher ratios not being correlated with educational outcomes among in this population. The survey evidence presented in this paper provides novel, suggestive evidence for future research on and strategies to improve the quality and quantity of female education in Afghanistan. It also suggests that losses in educational attainment in the current generation of girls has important implications for the education of future generations of Afghan girls.