The United States has committed $200 million towards literacy programs for members of the Afghan army. The programs will continue to fund classes sponsored by the US and NATO. Almost 400,000 troops have attended literacy classes, but there are still significant problems facing military and police forces. “Some command officials responsible for the literacy training program roughly estimated that over half of the force”—consisting of about 352,000—“was still illiterate as of February 2013,” said a report issued by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. “According to [training] officials, this low level of literacy is likely to persist through the end of the decade,” continued the report.
Literacy programs for Afghan security forces began in 2009 to complement the US-led military instruction. Since then, literacy programs have qualified 233,600 students at first-grade level, 98,700 at second-grade level, and 76,800 at third-grade level. “Literate forces are easier to train, more capable and effective, and better able to understand human rights and the rule of law,” the Inspector General’s report added. “Further, literate soldiers and police can account for equipment and weapons by completing paperwork and reading serial numbers.”
The CIA estimates that the literacy rate among Afghan men stands at 43.1 per cent (just 12.6 per cent among women)—low numbers despite recent improvements in school facilities and girls’ education. The US had intended to hand the programs over to Afghans by the end of the year, but the report says that the Afghan government and ministries have been “slow to fulfill their stated commitments.” The International Security Assistance Force says that NATO forces are now keeping tighter controls on funding for the programs, and with improved oversight have saved some $19 million.
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Written by Alex Leedom