BAMYAN CITY (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Education (MoE) says as many as 15,000 people, mostly women , have been enrolled for literacy courses this solar year in central Bamyan province.

Sardar Mohammad Rahimi, MoE’s deputy head for literacy, told Pajhwok Afghan News the nine-month literacy course was being conducted in six districts of Bamyan. He said the scheme was being implemented by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

He said about 10,500 individuals would attend 350 courses and another nearly 5,000 individuals literacy courses arranged by the MoE. “The total number of people receiving literacy course reaches 15,000.”

Rahimi said the courses’ participants were aged above 15 years and most of them were women, adding that his ministry keeping in view the budget had launched the literacy programme in 120 districts across the country.

He said individuals completing the courses could continue their education at literacy schools as third graders.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Ayoub Amiri, acting education department director of Bamyan, said: “The war, violence, and poverty over the past few decades have rendered many people illiterate; but people have recently showed keen interest in at least learning how to read and write.”

Salima, 40, told Pajhwok: “I recently registered for the literacy course in order to be able to read and write.” She started her studies from class one and hoped she would be able to learn reading and writing until the end of the year.

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