WASHINGTON, Apr 18 (Pajhwok Afghan News): An influential Congressional caucus on Human Rights held a special hearing on educational system on Afghanistan.

Headed by two powerful Congressmen, Tom Lantos and Frank Wolf, the Congressional Human Rights Caucus during its one of its hearing analyzed the educational needs in Afghanistan and discussed ways and means to remove the obstacles.

During the one-and-half hour hearing, the invited experts shared their views on the education system of Afghanistan, how civil war has affected it and how much progress has been made in the post-Taliban era.

Prominent among them were Edna Mitchell, Emeritus Professor of Education, Mills College, Oakland; Hali Jilani, director, Institute of Cultural Intelligence; Richard Navarro, Professor of Education, California State Polytechnic University; Nuran Kolan, senior advisor, Office of the President, Creative Associates International; and Carol Ruth Silver, project director, Master Teachers by Satellite for Afghanistan.

During the briefing, the Congressmen said though considerable progress had been made in post-Taliban era as a significantly large number of students have starting going to schools, a lot needed to be done. Literacy rate still remains as low as 43 per cent among men and 14 per cent among women.

Lantos, who has always shown special interest in Afghanistan, expressed concern over the increasing incidents of violence affecting the education system. Not only the schools have been damaged, but teachers receive threats and students are being kidnapped outside schools.

Lalit K. Jha

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