Public and Private Schools in Afghanistan

Comparing some aspects of public and private schools in Kabul city

Kulsoom Saffarudin Sherani

Faculty: Art and Social Science

Subject: Education

Points: 15

Supervisor: Pia Karlsson

Examiner: Maria Jansdotter Samuelsson

Date: February 2014

i

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to explore similarities and differences between private and public schools

in Kabul city. Data was collected using questioner and structured interviews. Principals, teachers,

parents and students of grade six were the participants of the research. This research focuses on:

Curricula, textbooks, and media of instruction, teachers’ education and experiences as well as

student’s gender, socio-economic background and distribution within the two types of schools.

Advantages of private schools over public schools were also studied from the perspective of

teachers, students and parents.

During this research, some important points of similarities and differences were found,

such as discipline, daily study time in schools, parental involvement, completion of syllabi,

students’ parents’ socio-economic background, and teachers’ views on the growth of private

schools, etc. It was found that classroom facilities, parental involvement, completion of syllabi

are better in private schools than public schools. In private schools, additional textbooks on

science, computer and English language are taught. In public schools, on the other hand, due to

the short time of study, students are unable to finish all subjects in the respective academic year.

While both of the school types follow ministry of education defined curriculum. There is a mix

approach towards both the school types by the middle class members of the society. Meanwhile

Private schools may be exploiting their teachers for giving them lesser salaries as compared to the

teachers of the public schools. Private school teachers are paid less salary than the business value

a private school may have; despite the fact that they teach for longer hours during the day.

As Afghanistan is already suffering from difference of opinions on national and

international issues because of the different curriculums taught in different schools by different

organizations during the war. Some of the differences found in this research as well are of

significance and may lead to the graduation of students with additional advantages of stronger

English and IT skills. This could disadvantage the public school students.

ii

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I bestow my humblest praise for almighty Allah, the most benevolent and merciful, for granting

me the opportunity to complete my studies and thesis. It was a wonderful time we passed in the

academy with our dearest professors and my kind and good class fellows.

My deepest gratitude for my research supervisor Dr. Pia Karlsson, whom I came to respect

and appreciate even more during this period. From the start till the completion of my thesis was

only possible thanks to her precise help and ready availability. Her supervision and advice

brought out the aspiration and insight within me. With this I would also like to thank Dr. Amir

Mohammad Mansory, who always very patiently encouraged me. Dr Amir was here to support

me whenever I asked for his help.

I am especially thankful to my parents and my brothers, who always had confidence in me

to be on right path in the journey of my life and who always showed their love, interest, and

insight to provide me with a better environment to be successful in life. Without their kindness I

would not be able to complete my work. I would also like to give a special thanks to my brother,

Hameedullah Sherani, who helped me a lot in my research work, and all other friends and family

members understanding my situation whenever I could not be there for them, which I regret very

much.

My warm thanks go to the people of Sweden and Karlstad University’s professors. I am

also thankful to Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA). Last but not least I would like to

thank the rest of the staff for co-operating with me in every possible way. I will never forget the

co-operative attitude of my classmates and staff members in the department.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................................... i

ACKNOWLEDGMENT ................................................................................................................. ii LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................................... iv ABBREVATIONS ........................................................................................................................... v INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 1

Problem area ................................................................................................................................. 2

Aim and object ............................................................................................................................. 3

Research questions ....................................................................................................................... 3

LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................................. 4 Regional comparison of private education ................................................................................... 4

Perceptions about public and private schools .............................................................................. 5

Students at public and private schools ......................................................................................... 5

Curriculum and text books in public and private schools ............................................................ 6

Teachers and teaching in public and private schools ................................................................... 7

METHODS ....................................................................................................................................... 8 School Selection ........................................................................................................................... 8

Questionnaires and Interviews ..................................................................................................... 8

Time and places of the research ................................................................................................... 9

Limitation of the study ................................................................................................................. 9

FINDINGS ..................................................................................................................................... 10 The Schools ................................................................................................................................ 10

The Teachers’ background ......................................................................................................... 12

Teachers’ views on advantages and disadvantages of private and public education ................. 13

The Students ............................................................................................................................... 17

Student’s homework ................................................................................................................... 18

Access to computers and internet ............................................................................................... 19

DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................................ 20

CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................. 23 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................... 24 ANNEX (A) ................................................................................................................................... 25

The Teachers: ............................................................................................................................. 25

The Students: .............................................................................................................................. 27

The Parents: ................................................................................................................................ 28

ANNEX (B) .................................................................................................................................... 34

ANNEX (C) .................................................................................................................................... 34

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LIST OF TABLES

Figure 1: Number of private schools in Afghanistan................................................................…...2

Table 1: Private and public schools background…………………………………………………10

Table 2: Private schools’ extra subjects, medium of instruction, and extracurricular activities…11

Table 3: Private and public schools’ teachers disaggregated by age and gender………………...12

Table 4: Teachers experiences in public and private schools…………………………………….12

Table 5: Teachers’ educational background...................................................................................13

Table 6: Reasons for the growth of private schools according to teachers’ view.........................13

Table 7: Teachers’ responses on what administrative aspects are best in private and public

schools………………..14

Table 8: Teachers’ views on the quality of some teaching aspects in private and public

schools…...14

Table 9: Teachers view on the aim of private schools...................................................................15

Table 10: Parents’ socio-economic background............................................................................16

Table 11: Parents’ economic status on students of private and public school...............................16

Table 12: Reasons for parents’ selection of schools.......................................................................17

Table 13: Percentage of students in public and private schools.....................................................17

Table 14: Sources of income in the family………………………………………………………18

Table 15: Students’ own ranking of economic Status……………………………………...….…18

Table 16: Public and private school students getting help with their homework………………...18

Table 17: Number of boys and girls with access to computer and Internet in private and public

schools……………….19

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ABBREVATIONS

1. NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations)

2. MoE (Ministry of Education)

3. CEP (Central Educational Program)

4. SES (Socio Economic Status)

5. TTC (Teacher Training College )

6. MDG (Millennium Development Goal)

7. SCA (Swedish Committee for Afghanistan)

8. O/A (Ordinary and Advance)

9. DCF (Data Collection Format)

1

INTRODUCTION

Background

The history of Afghan education shows that Islamic studies or mosque-based education was the

first educational system. People used to learn to read, write, and count in mosques. Islamic law

was also taught by mullahs of mosques (Karlsson & Mansory, 2007).

The Western type of education was introduced at the end of the 19th century, when trained

officers were needed by the state. In 1878, two institutions were established in Kabul city, a

military school and a general school, respectively, specialised for the children of the royal family

and the elite. The first public school for boys was established in 1903 and was open to the general

public. After 1919, several schools were established in Kabul city and provincial urban areas. The

first female modern school was established in 1921, and gradually modern schools were extended

throughout the country (Karlsson & Mansory, 2007). There are three types of education in

Afghanistan: 'traditional or informal' education, 'modern' education, and 'Islamic' education

(ibid.).

Traditional or informal education, including Islamic etiquette (adab) and the practice of virtue,

morality, and manners (akhlaq), is transmitted by parents, elders, and other influential adults.

General education is taught in schools. Islamic education is of two kinds, formal and informal.

Formal Islamic education, with a focus on the Quran and the hadiths1, is learnt from mosques

and madrasas. It should be noted that madrasa education is considered as private education; and it

was historically run and managed by the community (ibid).

Western type of education, as labelled by Karlsson and Mansory (2004), is transmitted in public

schools, and these have always been a governmental affair. Previously, there were no private

schools in Afghanistan; in fact, private schools were not even allowed by the constitution (ibid).

In 2001, when the Taliban regime collapsed, hundreds of thousands of refugees returned to their

homeland with the educational experiences of their host countries. Among other things, they had

been exposed to private education in the neighbouring countries, and they tried to replicate

private education in Afghanistan. This idea was recognized by the general public since the

government of Afghanistan faced several severe social and economic challenges. These

challenges undermined the government’s capacity to deliver education, in terms of educational

materials, teachers, and an education-friendly environment. Hence, the private sector and the

government mutually moved to a new era in education, and decided to establish a private

education system (Packer et al. 2010). Within a decade, 803 private schools were established and

engaged in providing education to172, 474 students, 44 percent of whom were girls.

Compared to private schools there are 16600 public schools in the whole of Afghanistan. Out of

the total schools, 42 percent are primary schools, 28 percent are lower secondary schools, and 30

percent are upper secondary schools (Ministry of Education, 2010).

1In Islamic terminology, the term hadith refers to reports of statements or actions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), or

of his tacit approval or criticism of something said or done in his presence.[9]

Classical Hadith specialist Ibn Hajar al-

Asqalani says that the intended meaning of hadith in religious tradition is something attributed to Muhammad but

that is not found in the Quran.

2

Figure 1: No. of Private Schools in Afghanistan

(Ministry of Education, 2010)

This figure shows the number of private schools in the provinces of Afghanistan. From

here we find out that more than half of the private schools are concentrated in Kabul city. The

second largest numbers of private schools are located in Herat city. However, there are five

provinces in Afghanistan that have no private schools at all. Those provinces are Kapisa, Zabul,

Uruzgan, Nooristan, and Daikundi. These are provinces where private schools are not popular up

to now.

Problem area

Recently, the educational system has drastically expanded in Afghanistan as compared to 13

years ago, especially in regard to access to education. According to Ministry of Education (2011)

statistics, more than nine million students attend over 1600 schools run by the government. Still

there are around 3 million children out of school in the country. Beside the traditional

governmental schools, private schools have been allowed and even promoted, as stated in the

National Education Strategic Plan 2010-2014 (Ministry of Education, 2010). As mentioned, the

number of private schools has increased to 803 in Afghanistan. There are also concerns about the

quality of education generally. The learning level of school students is questioned by national

and international bodies and other involved parties, including parents (ibid).

According to Aslam (2009), private schools help to increase educational facilities in a

society. Private schools may contribute to widening the socio-economic gap since poor students

do not attend private schools (Karlsson and Mansory, 2004). Currently, most private schools are

established in the capital and a few big cities. Because they charge fees, it is more likely that the

children of a rich socioeconomic background are enrolled, while students of a weak socio-

economic background are rarely to be seen in private schools.

The Ministry of Education (MoE) demands uniform curricula and textbooks for all schools

for grades 1-12. Private schools meet this requirement and also offer additional courses and

textbooks, as well as pre-school classes (Ahmad, 2011). The addition of extra subjects depends

on the nature and philosophy of the school. Some religiously inclined private schools have more

3

concentration on extra Islamic subjects in addition to the compulsory ones set by the MoE.

Schools inclined towards a more modern approach provide courses in computer technology and

English language, as well as additional time for science (Packer et al. 2010).

Internationally, the growth of private sector involvement in education is driven by a market

and profit-making philosophy. Education is seen as a commodity (Goyal, 2009). Private schools

have emerged in many countries due to limited access to public education. Private schools are

managed by, beside individuals and private owners and companies, national and international

non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and do not depend on the government, although in

some cases local government administration may have full control (Karlsson & Mansory, 2004).

Private schools are generally considered to provide better education than public schools and to be

more efficient than public schools. Parents can, for example, choose between a modern type of

education and an Islamic type of education. Parents who have a greater interest in a better quality

of education for their children may be more inclined to select a private school for their children

(ibid).

As the population of Afghanistan has increased and government schools have not always

been available everywhere, especially schools for girls, private schools have emerged. So has a

concern that private schools can produce inequality in the field of education, as private schools

are mostly selected by educated parents and are most likely to be available only in urban areas.

This can widen the gap between poor and rich (ibid).

As private education is a fairly new phenomenon in Afghanistan, there is very little

knowledge about private schools compared to public schools in the country. Who are the

students in private schools? What similarities and differences are there between private and

public schools in the country? Why do people prefer private schools? Is it because of the quality

of education in such institutions, the prestige, the lack of public schools, or the ease of obtaining

certificates, or are there other reasons? It is also not known why private schools have appeared

now. Is it because of the introduction of private markets in Afghanistan? What are the real

motives behind their existence? These and many other questions have not been seriously studied

to date in the country. This study may hopefully shed light on some aspects of these questions.

Aim and object

The aim of this study is to investigate and compare some aspects of public and private education

in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Research questions

This study will try to respond the following research questions:

1. What are the differences and similarities between curricula, textbooks, and media of

instruction in private and public primary schools?

2. What are the differences and similarities between teachers as regards education and experience

in private and public primary schools?

3. What are the differences and similarities between students in grade six as regards sex, and

socioeconomic background in private and public schools?

4. What advantages and disadvantages do parents, students, and teachers see with private and

public education?

4

LITERATURE REVIEW

Regional comparison of private education

Certain factors and forces have been the drivers of privatization of education in different

countries. Karlsson and Mansory (2004) have identified these factors as: (i) the demand for

education exceeds the education supplied by the public sector; (ii) the quality of education

provided is not satisfactory, (iii) geographical disparities exist because of scarce resources in the

public sector. In many parts of the world, private schools enjoy better educational standards and

modern equipment, thereby attracting the attention of many people in society (Sheshinski and

López, 2003).

In Iran, there is a different view of private schools in light of different social, cultural,

political, and religious circumstances in that country. According to Poya (2001), the popularity

of private schools in Iran lies in minimized risks of failure for the students. He adds that there

have been mixed reactions to private schools – some being for them and other against them –

since the commencement of private schools in Iran. These reactions have been reflected through

media and public opinions in various ways.

In Pakistan, the government encourages private intervention in the education sector. The

two types of schools have different regulations. public schools provide free education, whereas

private schools primarily rely on a fees structure. Government schools are mostly single-sex,

whereas private schools are mostly co-educational and are owned by individuals for monetary

profits. According to Aslam (2009), private schools are established for the expansion of

education and thus contribute greatly to the enrolment of children. Many private schools and

institutions have been established to provide primary as well as secondary education in Pakistan

(Andrabi, 2002).

In India, private schools are to be found much more in rural areas than in cities. In nearly

all rural areas, there are private schools. According to Goyal (2009), the increase of private

schools gives both parents and children a choice between private and public schools in pursuing

an education (Goyal, 2009). The reason for the rapid increase of private schools is that the

quality of education in public schools is not as good. A comparable test was given to students of

both schools; the average scores of private school students were higher than the scores of

students from public schools. Parents from both middle and poor classes are willing to send their

children to private schools (ibid).

Private schooling in Kuwait is characterized by high daily attendance and small class sizes,

leading to higher academic performance. These factors are well advertised and carefully

indicated in private schools. It is because of these factors that parents are willing to send their

children to private schools. The educational quality in private schools is much better there.

However, it is a burden for many families to send their children to private schools (Jasim, 2010).

A rapid rise in education has been observed in Nepal since 1990. In 1980, the national

enrolment rate was 16 percent, but by 2003 it had increased to 83 percent. In 2010, the MoE of

Nepal categorised the education system in two types: (i) public or government run and managed

schools, and (ii) private schools, defined as international schools. Private schools do not receive

government funds. Private schools are aided by non-profit organizations, business, and religious

institutions. In Nepal, public education is considered to be of low quality, leading to poor

5

achievement (Thapa 2013).

Historically, Afghanistan's schools were hardly overcrowded by students before the regime

change in 2001. With the return of refugees to Afghanistan, the weak state with its meagre

resources was overwhelmed by the tremendous demands for services in every sector, especially

in education (Samady, 2007). According to the MoE's national education strategic plan (2010-

2014), private chools emerged in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan at the time the country

was occupied by the former Soviet Union. However, private education got an added impetus

during the last 12 years when the demand for education exceeded the public sector supply.

Enrolment has increased sevenfold since 2001: from 0.9 million students, mostly boys, in 2001

to over 8 million children (38 percent female) in 2010. However, the quality of education is low

and unsatisfactory. Private schools are considered to provide a great expansion for education,

and therefore the MoE has adopted a new policy of encouraging the private sector to set up and

run schools (MoE, 2010. 2011).

To sum up, the introduction of private schools in the systems of different countries as well

as in Afghanistan has been justified by the aforementioned factors identified by Karlsson and

Mansory (2004). These motives could be summarized as: (i) the pressure from a market

ideology, where education is seen as a commodity, (ii) the principle of supply and demand, i.e.

not enough space in public schools for all school age children, (iii) the provision of quality

services by the private sector, and (iv) last but not least important, is the simplification of

admission and certification processes in private schools. Also as a good business all of these

have probably contributed to the growth of private schooling in major Afghan cities. And mostly

private school are run by individuals against fees.

Perceptions about public and private schools

In many studies, it is suggested that the general perception about private schools is more positive

with minimal disagreements. According to Figlio (1997), private schools have advantages over

public schools. Private schools are more disciplined, have secure learning environments, and

more opportunities are available for participating in extracurricular activities. Carnoy & McEwan

(2001) argue that private schools are more proficient and resourceful than public schools. Private

schools are considered to have good learning achievements. Although there are many arguments

that private sector involvement in the field of education leads to overall improvement and private

schools are considered better than public schools, it has not been completely proven (Daun,

2002).

Despite the fact that private schools are not very prevalent in rural areas in Afghanistan,

private schooling seems to becoming more prominent with the passage of time in urban and

semi-urban areas of Afghanistan. The number of private schools has been constantly increasing

in Kabul city and other big cities and provincial capitals around the country. The constant growth

and increase in private schooling reflects a constant increase in the demand for private schooling

(MoE, 2010).

Students at public and private schools

It is important to comprehensively consider all the variables that contribute to educational

success in private schools. Several questions arise: are the private schools better, or are the

6

enrolled students better, are they of another calibre, the cream of society? In order to respond to

these questions, some literature is reviewed on this issue. According to Center Educational

Policy (CEP) (2007), the gains achieved from a private school are not totally related to the

school itself, but the students as well play an important role.

The students in private schools are mostly from comparatively rich and educated

families. These students are most likely to make good progress. Figlio (1997) claims that in the

United States of America students at private schools have a much higher socioeconomic status

(SES) than students in public schools. The data also indicate that parents of public school

students have lower expectations from their children than parents of students at private schools.

Parents of children in the private schooling system are more likely to help their children than

parents of students in public schools. Students in private schools get more support from their

parents with homework, exams, and other activities, such as taking them to museums, libraries,

and laboratories. They provide their children with all the materials they need for their schooling,

such as different kinds of books, colourful pens, computers, and printers, while parents of

students at public schools mostly cannot afford all of these (ibid).

Andrabi (2002) reaffirms Figlio (1997) and states that the differences of family

background also have effects on the learning achievement of students. Thus, the good results of

students from private schools are linked to their family background. The teacher and student

relationship is friendlier in private schools compared to public schools. This relationship has a

significant effect on the learning achievements of students. Andrabi further adds that in Pakistan

private schools are considerably better than public schools; however, the numbers of girls seems

much fewer than boys in private schools as girls are not considered the source of income for

parents and hence male children’s education is more important (ibid).

Curriculum and text books in public and private schools

To know the objects of learning, methods of teaching, and assessment and evaluation of learning

outcomes, an organized curriculum must be approved. It has been said that private schools are a

good source for learning English and other foreign languages (Kelly, 2009). According to

Samady (2007), it is important that the teaching of English language should begin at the primary

level, as English is the required language for science and technology. It should be considered as a

core subject in the class. Thus, for students to pursue higher studies in modern education,

science, and technology, the learning of English and other foreign languages are very important.

Otherwise, universities in Afghanistan must translate all related English textbooks and journals

into Pashto and Dari, which is a resource-demanding job. Moreover, students, who want to

pursue higher education in foreign countries, will face language barriers. Therefore, it is

sometimes only the discipline and some extra subjects, such as English language and computer

training that attracts most students to private schools (Aslam, 2009).

In Pakistan, the medium of instruction in public schools is Urdu, while in private schools

it is English. Hence, students of public schools face trouble when they go for higher secondary

education, because the language of education in higher secondary education or colleges is

English. Most private schools use an international standard curriculum, such as the Oxford or

Cambridge, while public schools do not use such standard curricula. These factors motivate the

general public to go for private education (Andrabi, 2002).

7

In Afghanistan private schools add some extra subjects to the curriculum provided by

ministry of education, the added subjects are English, Computer, Maths, Science, and social

science. Medium of instruction is English and local languages. teachers at private schools are

mostly young teachers with proficiencies in English and computer skills.

Teachers and teaching in public and private schools

Teachers play a significant role in the field of education. According to Ballou and Podgursky

(1995), the success and failure of a school mostly depends on principals and teachers. Moreover,

Banerjee (2012) stated that, to have a good result, both public and private schools need efforts

from both teachers and students. Carnoy & McEwan (2001) assert that private schools provide

higher salaries than public schools and thus attract more professional teachers and principals.

Therefore, it is said that teachers at private schools are better than those in public schools. In the

early schooling years, teachers’ and students’ interaction is much needed. In many developing

countries, teacher and student absenteeism is a serious problem. To have good interaction, both

teachers and students need to be present in the class and avoid absences. The teacher-to-student

ratio is very important in teacher-student relations and their interaction. The student-to-teacher

ratio in public schools in Afghanistan is often high and is quite a bit higher than in the available

private schools in Kabul city and the rest of the country (Ministry of Education, 2009).

8

METHODS

Data was collected from research sites within Kabul city, Afghanistan using the defined data

collection instruments using mix methods. A Mix method is adopted to conduct in depth,

contextual as well as quantitative study. Different questionnaires and interview were designed

for different participants. The questionnaires before distribution were translated into the Afghan

local language. The questionnaires consisted of multiple choice questions, and a couple of open

questions (see Annex A), While the interview were structured. The participants of this research

are 44 teachers 21 from public and 23 from private , 471 students of all grad six from both

private and public schools and 30 parents of different categories and the interview of 10

principals 4 female and one male of public schools and 4 male and one female principal from

private schools This research mainly investigated the similarities and differences between

curriculum, textbooks, medium of instruction, teachers’ socio-economic status, students’ socio-

economic status, and various perspectives on the two types of schools, private and public.

School Selection The population of private and public schools in Kabul city is huge. Time and resources would

not allow collecting and reading the data of the whole population. A total of ten schools were

selected from five districts of Kabul city. From each district one private and one public school,

located relatively close to each other, were chosen. The population of the study is distributed in a

single city of relatively similar situation divided into administrative districts. Therefore I have

used convenient sampling in order to select samples for my study. As the situation in different

districts of Kabul city is very similar to one another. On one hand convenient sampling has

helped selecting the easily accessible schools, while on the other hand the resemblance of the

situation makes the generalizability of the findings possible for at least Kabul city.

Questionnaires and Interviews

The questionnaires were loaded with multiple choice questions. In order to ensure data quality of

the research, the questionnaires were clearly explained to the participants. Questions with some

ambiguity were further clarified. The type of interview conducted was a structured interview.

The interview was conducted with the 10 principals of the 10 schools (5 private and 5 public) for

15 minutes each. Each principal was presented with exactly the same questions. The principals

were informed about the duration of the interview and content of the questions. The purpose of

the interview was also clarified to the principals. Considering research ethics, the principals were

asked if they would like to be compensated for their 15 minutes time for the interview, but they

willingly offered their time without asking for any remuneration. It is noteworthy that the parent

participants of the study were those easily accessible; easily accessible parents are mostly

educated and have the capacity to at least present their views on issues.

Data Management and Quality:

9

The captured data was entered into a data processing system. Data from each questionnaire was

entered into a specific work sheet using column headings from the questions and options used in

the questionnaires. In order to represent data using numerical values, so that it may easily be

processed. Legends were defined for using different codes for different responses. Related data

were compiled into specific tables of interest in order to find response for research questions.

The digitized data after cleaning was analysed to report findings and its implications.

The quality of the data was ensured at different levels of the research process. Due

attention was given in collecting quality, reliable and readable data during the collection. During

it is digitization and entry into the data processing system; data cleaning and check was applied.

The digitized data was cross checked with the data in the forms. Two questionnaires, from the

student participants were excluded because of its incompleteness and lack of readability.

Time and places of the research

The present study was conducted in five selected districts of Kabul city. Districts were also

selected using convenient sampling. From each district, two schools were selected, one public (a

total of 4 female; one mix) and one private school (a total of 5 mix) from each district

respectively. The duration of the collection of this data was less than a month, occurring in

September and October 2013.

One of the problems was that the teachers and some students did not answer some of the

questions in the questionnaires. i.e. when the aim of private schools were asked in public schools

from 21 teachers only 11 teachers answered and 6 teachers didn't answer this question. Twelve

(out of 312) students from public schools and 10 ( out of 181) students from private did not

returned the questionnaires at all. The respondents were four hundred and seventy one students

and forty-four teachers – seventeen male and twenty-seven female – of the ten private and public

schools, as well as thirty parents of both sexes. Questionnaires, along with the accompanying

mini-manual with instructions for completing them, were distributed to the participants. Some

questionnaires were not returned. Forty questionnaires were given to parents, but only thirty

parents responded to the questions. Sixty questionnaires were given to teachers of both schools

private and public; only forty-four responded to the questions. However It did not affect my

findings.

Limitation of the study

It would have been better to cover all districts of Kabul city. An increase in the sample size

might produce a corresponding increase in the accuracy of the results. However, the constraints

of resources and time did not permit me to do so. Therefore, the results of the study must be read

with caution.

The shortage of time and the need to convince principals or teachers to cooperate were

the only problems I faced. Initially, teachers and principals were not willing to answer the

questions or to accept the questionnaires, but after the whole process was explained to them, they

were very helpful. Moreover the problem of parents was illiteracy for some of them; while some

of the parents and teachers didn’t respond due to security as some of them thought that it may

10

make some kind of problem for them. However this is very nominal and has no prominent effect

on the research findings and implications.

The sample size is limited and the selection has been narrow. This narrow selection of the

schools has originated some issues in representation of the population strata of private and public

schools. For example the five public schools selected for the study are almost all girls while the

five private schools are all mix schools. This has some implication for the research findings. In

this research it was found that more female teachers teach in the public schools as compared to

the private schools. This may be because of the nature of the school gender.

FINDINGS

This chapter presents the research findings of comparing some aspects of 10 public and private

schools in five districts of Kabul city. The findings are categorized around specific aspects and

presented under titles including such as the schools, the teachers, the parents and the students.

The Schools Table 1 provides background information of the private and public schools under this research.

One of the five public schools is coeducational, i.e. boys and girls sit in the same class. The other

four are unisex schools and are only for girls. All five private schools are mixed, i.e. boys and

girls are in the same class. The school day of all the five public schools is divided into two or

three shifts while the private schools have only one shift and that helps them to teach some extra

subjects such as mathematics, English subjects, science, and computer. Public schools are free,

whereas private schools charge a monthly fee, ranging from 1500 - 2000 Afs2.

Table 1: Private and Public Schools background

Ow

nersh

ip

Nu

mb

er

School type level Vacation No. of

shifts

Monthly

Fees in

Afs

Is the

implemented

Curriculum

the same as

defined by

MoE

Is there any

Extracurricul

ar activities in

your School

Bo

ys

Girls

Mix

Gr 1

-6

Gr 1

-9

Gr 1

-12

3 M

onth

s

2 m

onth

s

One

Tw

o-th

ree

Yes w

ith

Add

ed

Su

bjects

Yes E

xactly

the sam

e

Yes

No

Priv

ate 5 0 0 5 1 1 3 2 3 5 0

1500-

2000 5 0 4 1 Pu

blic 5 0 4 1 1 1 3 5 0 0 5 No fee 0 5 1 4

2 According to the open market dated 24 Dec 2013; 1000 Afs equals 17.54 USD.

11

Table 1 also presents the differences and similarities between public and private schools in terms

of curriculum, textbooks, and media of instruction. Public schools follow the same curriculum,

use the same textbooks, and teach according to the medium of instruction directed by Ministry of

Education. Private schools, in addition to following the Ministry of Education defined

curriculum, standards, rules and regulations, provide some extra subjects. According to the

interview conducted with the principals of both private and public schools, it was found that the

medium of instruction in private schools, in addition to the local languages, for extra or some

school subjects like math, science, computer and English. However, the MoE assigned subjects

are taught in local languages. English textbooks developed in India and/or Pakistan is used.

Table 2: Private schools' extra subjects, medium of instruction, and extracurricular

activities

Schools Extra added subjects Media of Instruction Extracurricular

activities

1. school English, Science,

computer

Dari for MoE subjects and

English for the extra added

subjects

Sports

2. school English, computer

Dari for MoE subjects and

English for the extra added

subjects

Sports and Home

economics

3. school English, Math, science,

Social science, Computer,

Dari for MoE subjects and

English for the extra added

subjects

Sport and Literary

events ( Poetry,

Debates, Essay

Writings)

4. school English, Science,

computer

Dari for MoE subjects and

English for the extra added

subjects

No

5. school English, Science,

computer, Math

Dari for MoE subjects and

English for the extra added

subjects

Literary events

The salaries of the teachers in both private and public schools were compared. The teachers’

salaries vary from school to school in private schools; a teachers’ salary is unanimously applied

to every teacher in that specific school without considering qualification and experience. While

in public schools, the salary depends on the teachers’ teaching experience and educational

degree.

Private schools have different extra-curricular activities, which are included in public

schools as well, for example home economics, sports and culture but the lack of space and time

might have an adverse affect on extracurricular activities. Most of the facilities and resources i.e.

the building and teachers of the public schools might be over utilized by having two to three

educational shifts in one working day. Private schools in addition to sports and home economics

i.e. handicrafts and tailoring, conduct literary events. Literary events are educational functions

which facilitate the students for reading poetry, presenting an essay or a speech on a stage.

12

The Teachers’ background

Table 3 illustrates the number of male and female teachers in private and public schools. It also

shows the age of teachers in both school systems.

Table 3: Private and Public School Teachers disaggregated by age and gender

Ownership Total Gender Age

Male Female 20-35 yrs % 36-45 yrs % 46 & above %

Public 21 6 15 12 57 5 24 4 19

Private 23 11 12 22 96 0 0 1 4

The survey indicated that the number of male teachers is fewer than female teachers in both

public and private schools; however, gender is more balanced in private schools. Out of 23

teachers, 12 are female, while 11 are male. That there are more female teachers than male in

public schools may be due to the fact that four out of five public schools are girl schools. As

regards teachers’ age, it was found that in private schools practically all teachers are young (96

% are 20-35 years old) while in public schools young teachers are fewer but still the majority (57

%). The reason might be that private schools prefer to employ teachers with proficiency in

English and computer skills, and these teachers are usually younger. In public schools teachers

may lack proficiency in English and lack of computer skills but on the other hand they may have

more teaching experience than teachers in private schools.

Table 4: Teachers’ experience in public and private schools

Experience (yrs) Teachers in public school Teachers in private schools Total

# % # % # %

<= 1 Year 9 43 17 74 26 59

1-4 Year 5 23 4 17 9 20

5-10 Year 7 33 2 8 9 20

Total 21 100 23 100 44 100

Table 4 shows teachers’ experience in public and private schools. Teachers in public schools

have more experience in the field of teaching than teachers in private schools. It is noted that out

of 21 public school teachers, nine (34%) teachers have one year or less than one year teaching

experience while seven (33%) teachers have more than four years experience. However most of

the teachers in private schools i.e. 17 out of the 23 have only one or less than one year teaching

experiences. This concludes that teachers in public schools have more teaching experience than

those teaching in private schools.

Table 5: Teachers’ educational background

13

Ow

nersh

ip

Nu

mb

er

Teachers Qualification

Tea

chers tea

chin

g

the sa

me su

bject

as th

eir

ba

ckg

rou

nd

In-serv

ice train

ing

Teachers

with

Bachelor

Teachers with

Islamic studies

(Madrassa)

Teachers

with (TTC)

Teachers

with Master

and Above

Pu

blic

21 11 52% 0 0% 10 48% 0 0% 17 80% 8 38%

Priv

ate

23 14 61% 2 9% 7 30% 0 0% 11 48% 11 48%

As seen in this table (5) around half of the teachers in both public and private schools have a

bachelor degree. Half of the teachers in public and one third of the teachers in private schools

have graduated from teacher training colleges. Thus, teachers have similar educational

background in the studied public and private schools. The table further elaborates that in public

schools most of the teachers teach the subject they have had as their major at the university level

or at the Teacher Training College (TTC). However in private schools only 11 (48%) out of the

total 23 teachers do the same but more teachers in these schools have participated in in-service

training.

Teachers’ views on advantages and disadvantages of private and public

education

Private schools have shown a dramatic growth in recent years, particularly in urban areas.

Responding teachers were asked what could be the reasons for the growth of the private

schooling system. This question had multiple choice answers and a teacher could select more

than one option. The findings are presented in Table 6.

Table 6: Reasons for the growth of private schools according to teachers’ no of votes

Teachers MoE

encourages

private schools

Lack of

access to

public

schools

Low

quality of

public

schools

Possibility

of profits

Interest of

urban

wealthy

people

Lack of

girls

school

Public 10 6 4 6 10 8

Private 16 3 9 9 7 8

Total 26 9 13 15 17 16

14

There are many reasons for the growth of private schools. Most of the responding teachers,

particularly those in private schools were of the opinion that the growth of private schools is due

to encouragement by the government. Almost half of the responding teachers at private schools

responded that the low quality of education at public schools was the main reason for the growth

of private schooling, while only one fifth of the public schools teachers thought so – an

interesting but may be not so surprising result.

The opposite picture is seen as regards another option. That the growth of private schools

is mainly due to the interest of wealthy urban people was believed by half of the responding

public school teachers while only one third of the responding teachers in the private schools

thought so.

Teachers were also asked to tell which type of school is better in certain aspects. Their

answers are reported in tables 7 and 8.

Table 7: Teachers’ responses on what administrative aspects are best in private and public

schools

Options

Public Schools are best Private Schools are best

Private

schools

Teachers

Public schools

Teachers Total

Private

schools

Teachers

Public

schools

Teachers Total

Administration 2 14 16 20 12 33

Attendance 2 14 16 20 7 27

Study time 0 1 1 20 17 37

Discipline 0 21 21 14 15 29

Gender equality 9 5 14 12 8 20

Parental Involvement 10 10 20 16 21 39

Total votes 23 66 89 102 94 185

This question may also provoke biased responses. Some teachers might have responded in the

favour of their respective schools. None of the private school teachers gives more credit to the

public school system in any of the above aspects while public school teachers find private

schools superior as regards study time and gender equality. They give almost equal credit also to

administrative aspects and parental involvement as all 21 teachers of public schools give their

opinion on parental involvement in the private schools. Due to the biases, only public school

teachers' opinion should be considered in regard to table 7 and 8.

Teachers were also asked about their number of students in class. According to public

schools teachers' there are 45 or more while the case is not the same in private schools, according

to private schools teachers' there are not more than 20 students in a class.

Table 8: Teachers’ views on the quality of some teaching aspects in private and

public schools

Options Public Schools are best Private Schools are best

15

Private

schools

Teachers

Public

schools

Teachers

Total Private schools

Teachers

Public schools

Teachers Total

Completion of

Syllabi 2 14 16 21 4 25

Teaching quality 1 8 9 19 10 29

Facilities 0 5 5 21 15 36

English teaching 0 2 2 21 17 38

Computer

teaching 0 1 1 19 17 36

Learning

achievement 12 12 24 11 15 26

Sport education 9 0 9 13 21 34

Total votes 22 42 66 125 99 224

When the teachers were asked about the quality of education, teachers again tend to defend their

own schools but with some interesting differences. Both public and private school teachers

believe that private schools have better facilities, more English teaching, computer training and

sports education. As regards teaching quality and learning achievements the answers are quite

evenly distributed; however, to somewhat higher extent public teachers believe that the quality

and achievements are better in private schools than in their own.

Both public and private school teachers were asked what they considered to be the aims

of private schools. According to private school teachers, the most important aim of private

schools is to provide quality education, while the public school teachers think that the most

important aim of private schools is to provide education for the children of the wealthy families.

20% and 25 % of the respective teacher group think that profit making is the main purpose.

These findings are presented in the following table.

Table 9: Teachers’ views on the aim of Private Schools

Teachers

To provide education

for children of

wealthy families

To provide

quality education

Business

profit

Other please

indicate

Total

Responses

Public 8 3 4 0 15

Private 1 21 2 0 24

Total 9 24 6 0 39

The parents

16

Students’ selection for schooling is related to their parents’ socioeconomic background. In Kabul

city, there is every group of people, including rich, middle income, and poor.

Table 10. Parents’ socio-economic background

Gender

No

of P

aren

ts

Level of Education Occupation

Illiterate

Ba

sic Or H

igh

Sch

oo

l

Ed

uca

tion

Ba

chelo

r

Ma

ster

Ho

usew

ife

Jo

bless

Oth

er-

pro

fession

al

Go

v. E

mp

loy

ee

NG

O. E

mp

loy

ee

Ow

n B

usin

ess

Fa

rmin

g

Female 13 4 4 3 2 5 1 0 5 1 0 1

Male 17 1 4 9 3 0 1 2 3 8 3 0

30 parents with children in public and private schools replied from different age groups, out of

which 13 were mothers and 17 were fathers. Four mothers have basic or high school education,

four mothers have bachelor degrees and two mothers have master degrees while among 17

fathers nine have bachelor degrees and three have master degrees. The children of parents who

work with National or International NGOs go to private schools, This is hardly representative of

the population in Afghanistan, not even Kabul.

According to their occupation, mothers are mostly working with the government of

Afghanistan, from 13 mothers 1 is working with NGO. However from 17 fathers, 8 are working

with NGOs while 3 of them are government employees.

Table 11: Parents’ economic status and students in private and public schools

Paren

ts

econ

om

ic

Sta

tus

No. o

f

Fam

ilies

Tota

l

Ch

ildren

in sch

ool

Number and percentage of Children going to

Private School Public Schools

Rich 4 9 9 100% 0 0%

Middle 19 57 31 54% 26 46%

Poor 7 28 0 0% 28 100%

The results presented in table 11 illustrate that all children of rich parents go to private schools,

whereas all the children of poor parents go to public schools. However, the numbers of parents

who ranked themselves as rich or poor were fairly small. The middle group of parents had their

children in both type of schools almost equally.

When parents were asked about their children’s schools, they were also asked to indicate

the reasons for selecting private or public schools. The results are presented in the following

table.

Table 12: Reasons for parents’ selection of schools

17

Parents

No

. of fa

milies

It is free of ch

arg

e

It is nea

r ou

r hom

e

It pro

vid

es

tran

sporta

tion

It ha

s qu

alified

teach

ers

It ha

s go

od

textb

oo

ks

All su

bjects a

re

tau

gh

t in E

nglish

Pro

vid

es

Co

mp

uter tra

inin

g

Oth

er

With Children in Private

Schools 4 0 2 3 3 2 0 2 0

with Children in Both private

& public Schools 19 7 9 4 7 7 3 4 0

With Children in Public

Schools 7 7 3 0 2 0 0 0 0

As seen in the above table parents of different economic status had different reasons for

selecting type of school. For the poor families the most important factor for selecting a school is

to be free of charge. While rich families didn’t consider charged fees, but required a school to

have transportation, qualified teachers, good textbooks and computer education while the middle

class had a mixed approach and considered most of the provided options.

The Students

Table 13 shows gender representation in grade six in the studied private schools. From here we

can see that the percentage of boys in private schools is much higher than girls

Table 13: Percentage of students in private schools by gender

School Total Students Boys % of Boys Girls % of girls

Private 171 124 73 47 27

In order to further elaborate on students’ school selection and their socio economic

background students were asked to point out the main source of income in their families. The

following data was obtained.

Table 14. Sources of income in the family

Sch

oo

ls

Stu

den

ts

main source of income Jobless/ housewife

Parents

Fa

ther

%

Moth

er

%

Bro

ther

%

Sister

%

Oth

ers

Moth

er

%

Fa

ther

%

Private 171 154 90 17 10 6 4 21 12 4 154 90 17 10

18

Public 300 258 86 51 17 12 4 49 16 9 249 83 42 14

Total 471 412 87 68 27 18 4 70 15 13 403 86 59 13

In all families the father is the main provider of income while mothers usually are housewives.

However, 17 % of the mothers of public school students and 10 % of private school students

provide the main income at disposal.

The same question that was put to parents was also asked from the students in order to

further verify and elaborate the economic status of the students and their distribution in the

different school system. The response was mostly the same as that of the parents.

Table 15: Students’ own ranking of their economic status

Students of Total Rich Middle Poor

# % # % # %

Private 171 31 18 131 77 9 5

Public 300 16 5 199 66 85 28

Total 471 47 330 94

While middle class students are distributed in both the public and private school systems;

rich students have a far higher presence in private schools than in public schools. However out of

the 471 students in both private and public schools a majority of the students considers their

families to belong to the middle group. A few, (only 5 percent) of the private school students

belong to poor families and similarly, only 5 % of public school students belong to rich families.

Although the response is slightly different from that of the parents where all the children of the

rich families go to private schools whereas all of the children of the poor families go to public

schools these responses by the students still follow the same trend.

Student’s homework

Table 16 shows the number of students who get help from their parents and siblings with home

work in public and private schools.

Table 16: Public and private school students getting help with their homework

School Total students

Students getting help

Girls Boys Total (% of all

students)

Private 171 60 49 109 (64 %)

Public 300 20 40 60 (20 %)

Total 471 80 89 169

19

Helping students with homework and studies at home improves students’ educational

achievement. Students in grade six of both schools were asked if they get help with their

homework (64 % compared to 20 %) It was found that more students in private schools get help

in doing their home work than students at public schools. Moreover, more boys than girls in

public schools responded that they get support.

Access to computers and internet

In order to compare the students’ access to certain technology in the two different school

systems, students of both the school systems were asked to report their access to computers and

internet.

Table 17: Number of boys and girls with access to computer and Internet in private and

public schools.

Access to technology Private School Public School

Boys Girls Boys Girls

Access to Computer 70 32 12 14

Access to internet 24 30 10 9

Given the number of students i.e. 171 from private schools (124 boys and 47 girls) and 300 from

public schools (121 boys and 179 girls), it was found that access to computers in particular and

also to Internet is much higher for both girls and boys in private schools compared to public

schools. For example 60% of the private school students have access to computers as compared

to 9% of the students in public schools.

In private schools 32 girls have access to computer and 30 girls have access to internet.

70 boys have access to computer and 24 have access to internet. Only 12 of the public schools

boys have access to computer and 10 have access to internet. Among the girls of the same school

14 girls have access to computer and 9 of them have access to internet. It is visible from the data

that there is a lack of access to technology such as computer and internet for the public school

students.

20

DISCUSSION

Comparing the two types of schools (public and private) in Kabul city was a significant task.

This study is very elaborative and a first step for further study of the public-private schools. This

research and others of its kind will help further understand the gaps and differences in both the

schools. This study, however limited, has dig out a lot of interesting findings under the scope of

differences and similarities; the meanings and implication of which are further elaborated here.

In this study ten schools were researched, of which five were private. All five private schools

were co-educational, while amongst public schools only one was co-educational and the rest

were girls’ schools. Private schools are primarily profitable institutions charging monthly fees.

However public schools are run and owned by the government and are free of any charge.

The Ministry of Education has defined a standard and uniform curriculum for all Afghan

schools within Afghanistan, irrespective of school ownership. It is obligated by education law

that the Ministry of Education curriculum must be followed by all schools in their respective

domain of schooling, such as general education, Islamic education, and technical vocational

education (Ministry of Education, 2010). However, private schools are allowed to add courses to

the government-defined curricula since private schools operate on a one-shift basis. In primary

schools (grades 1-6), there are 12 subjects prescribed by the Ministry of Education. The medium

of instruction is Pashto and Dari. Due to insufficient facilities and overwhelming number of

students, public schools have to operate in shifts (ibid). As per our research findings public

schools’ resources are usually used twice and sometimes even three times per day to provide

services to different students in different shifts. The time of the shift is shorter in public schools.

This reduces the time of interaction with students and the required attention of the teachers for a

student, as well as the amount of time available for extracurricular activities.

Private schools add other subjects and books to the already defined text books as

mentioned in Table 2 of the findings chapter. These extra subjects are usually English language,

computer, mathematics, science and social science subjects. It may mean that Private school

owners have identified the demand of the market or may be a way to attract students to private

schools. They know that English language and computer skill is the cry of the day in addition to

some more subjects. This might have strong implication for the society as a whole both in long

terms as well as in short term. Currently in most positions; government, NGOs and the private

sector, computer skills and English language is essential. English is the key to further higher

education around the world. The private school students will have the advantage of English

language and technology over the students of the public schools. This has direct and indirect

impact on the imbalance of education and has consequences for both the Afghan society and the

educational system. However a negative impact of these extra subjects may be negatively

overburdening students in the private schools. According to CEP (2007) extra subjects requires

extra time and requires more rigor from the students of primary schools.

The finding also show that private schools have more young teachers compared to the

public schools while teachers in public schools are more experienced and qualified.The reason

might be that private schools prefer to employ teachers with proficiency in English and computer

skills, and these teachers are usually younger. In public schools teachers may lack proficiency in

English and lack of computer skills but on the other hand they may have more teaching

experience than teachers in private schools.

21

Although qualified and trained teachers are the main sources for the success of an

educational system within a country. However Ballou & Podgursky (1995) states that “...the

performance of the teacher in the classroom ultimately determines success or failure of the

educational endeavor" (p. 243).

In public schools teachers’ salary variation depends on qualification and teaching

experience. Monthly salaries vary from school to school, however the lowest salary in public

schools is Afs 4000 and the highest is Afs11, 900. Conversely private school teachers earn lesser

than their counterparts in public schools. Teachers’ salary starts from Afs4000 to a maximum of

Afs 7000. In spite hard working, teachers in private schools receive much lower salary than

compared to the revenue the private schools might generate from the monthly fees. Although the

findings indicate that teachers are be exploited in private schools in terms of fair pay. However

there is not a visible objection either from the government or the teachers itself to this. This is

may be because of the high rate of unemployment.

Teachers in public schools are pedagogically more trained. Furthermore in public

schools, it is most likely that the teacher would be teaching in their field of expertise, while

teachers in private schools are employed without giving any consideration to the area of

expertise. This implies that there is a set criterion assigned for teacher recruitment in the public

schools, but is not the case in private schools. Private schools may lack a recruitment policy in

this regard.

Although more qualified teachers teach in public schools but classes are overwhelmed by

the number of pupils and short study periods. Conversely, in private schools the number of

pupils per class room is less. Students may have the chance to ask for explanation and share their

concerns.

Finding shows that the number of experienced teachers is higher in public schools than in

private schools as per Table 4 of the finding chapter. There could be various possible

explanations, however, private schools education system is a new phenomenon in Afghanistan

and are private-profit institutions. The age ranges (Table 3.) and years of teaching experience

(Table 4.) illustrates that private schools although inexpensive but hire teachers proficient in

English and IT skills. This may imply that private schools recruit fresh graduates or

baccalaureate. That's why most of them are young.

There are several reasons to explain the mushrooming of private schools sector (Tooley

and Dixon, 2005). These reasons could include the declining quality of public schools, the lack

of public schools and the desire of parents for modern languages (English and Arabic), IT skills

and discipline. It is also likely that MoE encourages private schools sector to grow rapidly to

meet United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals for 2020. Private educational institutions

are also good revenue source for the owners and also create jobs for the locals. In this research

teachers were asked their views on the rapid growth of private school sector. The responses were

interesting and may also be biased in some areas. In private schools majority of the teachers were

on the opinion that the reason for the growth of private schools might be low quality of education

in public schools and the encouragement of government (Table 6). While half of the teachers’ in

public schools also were of the same opinion. It is thought that private schools are good in

delivering education.

Teachers were also asked to give their view on some administrative aspect of both

schools. Teachers might have not observed impartiality while responding to the question, thus all

teachers preferred their own sector. For instance teachers at public schools thought that public

schools are better while teachers at private schools claimed that private schools are effectively

22

administered. This explains that the teachers on either side did not want to show their

weaknesses. However in terms of other aspects such as class room discipline, parental

involvement, classroom facilities, modern languages and computer usage; private schools are

considered to be better than public schools. It is noteworthy to mention that the difference was

small in class room discipline and parental involvement. This implies that teachers believed that

private schools deliver better in these aspects.

The majority of the parents interviewed were educated up to bachelor degree level. In

general the variations of education level in the parents were from basic school education to

master degree holders. The data also shows that female parents are more likely to work in

Government institutions, while male parents are most likely to work in national and international

NGOs. In other words fewer mothers are working with NGOs. Many factors might be

contributing to this. Mothers’ presence in the government organizations might be because of the

encouragement of the Afghan government's gender balance policy. While lack of mothers

working in NGOs could as well be driven by many factors, one of which could be cultural

barriers and lack of capacity. Within the participating parents, more than half of them consider

themselves as of the middle class socio-economic status. The middle class families send their

children both to private and public schools i.e. with slightly more going to private schools. The

highest number of the participating parents’ population consider themselves middle class

between the two extremes of rich and poor which constitute the lesser portion of the population.

They consider both private and public schools valid and choose the schools accordingly. For the

middle class parents reasons and factors such as charges, easy accessibility, quality teaching,

computer teaching and English language play the role in selecting a school for their child.

The Findings chapter Table (11) shows that rich parents admit their children in private

schools. The same question was asked from students as well, students at grade six in private

schools generally believe that they came from rich and middle families and have access to

computers, and internet and most of them get help with their home work from their parents and

siblings. While students in the public schools don't have technological resources such as

computer and internet. Technological resources, parental encouragement and homework support

are an aid to intellectual development. These may add up to learning achievements of the

students and give an edge to the private school students over the public school students. Parental

involvement and support with the home work is not something attached to schools but to the

attitude and interest in education of the parents. Parents involving more in the education of their

children show that these parents value education more.

According to the data collected, it was an interesting finding that the number of girls is

fewer in the studied private schools than the number of boys. Many factors may be influencing

this; inferring meaning and implication from this is very much connected to finding out the

population of the children in this age in these specific localities, disaggregated by gender.

Assuming that the number of boys and girls at the age of grade six is similar in the specific

localities. Then this may imply that male members of the family are considered the source of

income for the family; that is why parents more willingly invest in the education of their sons

than their daughters. In such case of gender discrimination, the constitution of Afghanistan as

well as the international notion of Quality Education for All is defied. This however seems

contradictory to the claim of Andrabi (2002): “There is also some evidence that private schools

can bridge gender gaps as even rural parents are seen willing to send their daughters to private

co-educational schools” (cited in Aslam, 2009). Private schools might be bridging the gender gap

if economic and cultural factors are paid due consideration.

23

CONCLUSION

Traditionally Afghanistan had public schools since 19th

century and Islamic schools (Madrasa)

since much longer. Private education system is a new phenomenon; private education sector

grows rapidly in Afghanistan. To find out how private schools are established and what are the

similarities and differences among the two sectors, a study was conducted within the city of

Kabul. According to the data collected for the research, private schools are one step ahead of

public schools in some aspects. Privates schools are better in teaching extra books added to MoE

syllabus, teach computer, internet and English.

On the other hand public schools have more experienced and qualified teachers and are

free of charge. Private schools on the other hand are expensive as well as exploit their own

teachers. However parents prefer private schools for their administrative management.

According to the data the number of girls is less in private schools, so there is still a need to

increase girls’ enrolment both in public and private schools.

Private schools provide conducive learning environment to their students by facilitating

access to technologies such as computers and the internet. This may be considered of high value

for learning and self confidence in this era of information society. Access to the technologies in

childhood may be very effective in managing and eliminating computer phobia ( technology

phobia).

Private schools are growing in urban areas of the country and are attracting students from

economically and educationally strong families. In addition to economic support, students in

private schools get more educational support and help with their homework. Attraction of the

cream of the society to the private schools is a great advantage over public schools. If it

continues in the same manner, it is very likely that private schools will take over public schools.

Further growth of private schools and attraction of more market share will have several

implications in future. The positive and short term implication would be sharing the burden of

overwhelming number of students on public schools. However strategically it may adversely

affect the whole society. This may bring a big gap between rich and poor if the identified

differences continue to exist and further widen up. Prosperous and affluent people will pay less

attention to public schools. This will marginalize the poor and disadvantaged people. In order to

positively compete with the private schools, public schools need to come up with a market

oriented curriculum and gender equality policies. There is also a need to further study private

schools teacher exploitation and the development and implementation of fair work policy.

24

REFERENCES

Aslam, M. (2009) The relative effectiveness of government and private schools in Pakistan: are girls

worse off? Education Economics 17(3)

Andrabi, T., Das, J. & Khwaja, A. (2002) The Rise of Private Schooling in Pakistan: Catering to The

Urban Elite or Educating The Rural Poor? Pomona College, World Bank, and

Ahmad, S. Benard, A. Joseloff, B. Rettig, M.

Ballou, D. &Podgursky, M. (1995) What Makes a Good Principal? How Teachers Assess the

Performance of Principals. Department of Economics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst,

MA 01003 USA

Banerjee, R., King, E., Orazem, P. &Paterno, E. (2012) Student and Teacher Attendance: The Role of

Shared Goods in Reducing Absenteeism.Economics of Education Review Vol. 31 no. 5 (October

2012): 563-574.

Carnoy, M. &Mc Ewan, P.J. (2001) Privatisation Through Vouchers in Developing Countries: the Case of

Chile and Colombia. In H.M. Levin (ed). Privatising Education. Can Marketplace Deliver

Choice, Efficiency, Equity, And Social Cohesion? Boulder: West View Press.

Center on Education Policy 1001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 522 Washington, D.C. 20036 Are

Private High Schools Better Academically Than Public High Schools

Daun, H. (2002) Conceptualisation and Results of Educational Restructuring. In H. Daun (ed.)

Educational Restructuring in the Context of Globalisation and Local Demands. New York:

Routledge/Falmer

Figlio, D.& Stone, J. (1997) School Choice and Student Performance: Are Private Schools Really Better?

Institute for Research on Poverty Discussion Paper no. 1141-97, Department of Economics,

University of Oregon, USA

Goyal, S. (2009) Inside the House of Learning: the Relative Performance of Public and Private Schools in

Orissa, India. Education Economics.17 (3)

Jasim, A. (2010) The Impact of Private Sector Competition on Public Schooling in Kuwait: Some Socio-

Educational Implications. Educational Foundations Department, Kuwait University

Karlsson, P. &Mansory, A. (2004) Education Reforms in the Context of Globalisation and in Afghanistan.

Stockholm: Stockholm University

Karlsson, P. &Mansory, A. (2007) An Afghan Dilemma: Education, Gender and Globalization inan

Islamic Context. PhD thesis in International Education. Stockholm: StockholmUniversity.

Kelly, A.V. (2009) The Curriculum Theory and Practice. SAGE Publications Ltd., London

Ministry of Education (2009) Education Summary Report. EMIS Department, General Directorate

Planning and Evaluation.www.moe.gov.af

Ministry of Education (2010) National Educational Strategic Plan in Afghanistan (2010-2014), Kabul:

Ministry of Education

Ministry of Education (2011) The National Education Interim Plan (2011-2013), The Directorate of

Planning and Evaluation. Retrieved 25 March 2012 from <http://moe.gov.af/en/page/2010>

Poya, Q. (2001) Musharekat HayeMardumy Dar AmuzashwaAarwaresh, Chap awal, Tehran

PazhwHashgdehTahleemwaTarbeya (Public Participation in Education, (1), Tehran, Education

Research Facility, Publications Unit)

Packer, S, Allsop, T., Dvorak, E., Stanley, T. P., &Wirak, A.(2010) Afghanistan Education Sector

Analysis, Kabul, Afghanistan. Adam Smith International

25

Samady, S, R. (2007) Education and Scientific Training for Sustainable Development of

Afghanistan.PDC Copyprint, Kingston, UK

Sheshinski, E. and López-Calva, L.F. (2003) Privatization and Its Benefits: Theory and Evidence. CESifo

Economic Studies, 49, (429–459)

Thapa, A. (2011) Does private school competition improves public school performance? The case of

Nepal.Education Policy & Social Analysis, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York,

NY

Tooley J. & Dixon P. (2005). Private Education is good for the poor; A study of Private Schools Serving

the Poor in Low-Income Countries. CATO INSTITUTE 1000 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20001. Available: http://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/tooley.pdf.

Last accessed 28/01/2014.

ANNEX (A)

The Teachers:

Questionnaire to teachers; part 1: background

Age: -----------Years Sex Male Female

Education: Grade 12 Teacher Training Institute University Master

Faculty: --------------------------

Teaching Class: Boys Girls Mixed

Degree: ----------------------- Teaching Experience (years):------------------

Which subject(s) do you teach? -------------------------------

Did you participate in/service teacher training programs?

A. Yes B. No If yes, for how long? --------------------------

In which grades do you teach?

Grade-1 Grade-2 Grade-3 Grade-4 Grade-5 Grade-6

Questions to headmasters/principals

Q 1: Type of school: This school is:

A. Private B. Government

26

Q 2: Students of this school are:

A. Boys only B. Girls only C. Boys and girls Both

Q 3: This school is

A. Primary (1-6) B. Middle (1-9) C. Secondary (1-12)

Q 4: This school has

A. One shift B. Two shifts C. Three shifts

Q 5: If its private school: Monthly fee per student------------------Afs

Q 6: Is the subjects according to the curriculum provided by MoE?

Q 7: Do you have extra subjects in the school?

A. Yes B. No C. if yes what subjects? -----------------------

Q 8: Do you have any extracurricular activities (out of schools hours)?

A. Yes B. No C. if yes what activities? -----------------------------

Questionnaire to teachers; part 2: views

Q 1: In your opinion, what is the reason for the current emerges of private schools? You can

select more than one option

A. Low quality of public schools

B. Lack of access to public schools

C. MoE encourages private schools

D. Possibility of profits

E. Interest of urban wealthy people

F. Lack of girl schools

Q 2: What are the most important aims of the private schools provider? You can select more than

one option

A. To provide education for children of wealthy families

B. To provide quality education

C. To gain money (business profit)

D. Other, please indicate ------------------------------------------

Q 3: According to you view which school is better services as regards the following aspects:

Public Private

27

A. General administration and management

B. Teachers’ attendance

C. Completion of syllabi in the study year

D. Teaching quality

E. Classroom facilities.

F. English teaching

G. Computer teaching

H. Study time

I. Learning achievements

J. Classroom discipline

K. Gender equality

L. Sports education

N. Parental involvement

Q 4: Every day how many hours you teach in your class?

The Students: Personal information’s:

Q 1: Do your parents pay a fee to your school?

A. Yes B. No If yes, how much is the fee per month ------------

Q 2: Who is the MAIN source of your home income?

A. Father B. Mother C. Brother D. Sister E. Other

Q 3: What is your father’s occupation?

A. Farmer

B. Businessman

C. Employee, NGO Government employ International Organization

D. Jobless

E. Other

Q 4. What is your Mother’s occupation?

A. Housewife

B. Farmer

C. Businesswoman

Sex:

Male Female Age:

-------------

28

D. Employee, NGO Government employ International Organization

E. Jobless

F. Other

Q 5: Do you have access to computers?

A. Yes B. No If Yes

a. at home b. at school c. both d. other place (for example cafes) --------

Q 6. Do you have access to Internet?

A. Yes B. No If Yes

a. at home b. at school c. both d. Other place (for example cafes)

Q 7. How would you rank your family’s economic situation?

A. Rich B. Middle C. Poor

Q 8. Does anyone help you with homework at home?

A. Yes B. No

If yes, who:

a. Mother b. Father c. brother d. Sister e. Other

The Parents:

Personal information’s:

Q 1: What is your occupation?

A. Farmer

B. Businessman

C. Employee, NGO Government employ International Organization

D. Jobless

E. Housewife

F. Other

Q 2: Why did you select this school for your children? (Mark all possible)

Sex:

Male □

Female□

Level of Education:

No Maktab less than Grade 6 Grade 6-9

Grade 10-12 Bachelor Master Doctoral

Age:----Years Field of Study:----------------------------

Total Children

---------- No. Of Boys No. Of Girls

In Private school--------- In Private school-------

In public school----------- In Public school--------

29

A. It has good Education

B. It has good discipline

C. It is free of charge

D. It is near our home

E. It provides transportation

F. It has qualified teachers

G. It has good textbooks

H. All subjects are taught in English

I. Provides computer training

J. Other

Q 3: How much is the monthly fees and transportation cost of your children?

A. Fees------------------ B. Transportation cost------------------

Q 4: Does your child need help with homework?

A. Yes B. No

If yes, who helps in your family?

A. Mother B. Father C. Brother D. Sister E. Other

Q 4: How would you rank your family’s economic situation?

A. Rich B. Middle C. Poor

پرسشنامه برای معلیمین بخش اول

تحصیلی: درجه

ماستر □پهنتون □ تربیه معلم □ صنف: دوازدهم :جنس

□زن □ مرد

رشته تحصیلی:

--------------

عمر:

--------------- صنف درسی شما:

□هردو □ دختران □ پسران

-------------دپلوم:

تجربه کاری:

سال ----------------------- کدام مضمون درس میکونید:

--------------------

تربیوی معلمین در حال آیا شما در پروگرام های

کرده اید؟ ک اخدمت اشتر

نخیر بلی

اگر نموده یی برای چند مدت؟

: میکونید صنف تدریسکدام ( □1صنف ) (□ 2صنف )

(□3صنف ) ( □ 4صنف )

( □5صنف ) (□6صنف )

سوال ها برای سرمعلم/مدیر

. نوعیت مکتب۱

یدولت

خصوصی

. شاگردان این مکتب از جنس ذیل میباشند:۲

پسران

دخترا

30

هردو

. این مکتب ۳

( ۶ابتدای تا صنف)

( ۹-۱متوسط)

( ۱۲-۱لیسه)

این مکتب .۴

یک شیفت دارد

دو شیفت دارد

سه شیفت دارد

اگر مکتب خصوصی باشد، .۵

میباشد. ---------------------فیس ماهانه آن

. مضامین مکتب مطابق کریکولم درسی وزارت معارف است:۶

بلی

خیر

. آیا مضامین اضافی در مکتب تدریس میگردد؟ ۷

بلی

خیر

اگر بلی، کدامین مضامین اند-------------------------------------------

دیگر که خارج از ساعات تدریسی مکتب باشد دارید؟آیا فعالیت های اضافی .۸

بلی

خیر

سوال ها برای معلم: بخش دوم:

؟ شما بیشتر از یک انتخاب را ارایه میتوانید. به عقیده شما، رشد فعلی مکاتب خصوصی چیست .۱

تشویق و دلچسپی وزارت معارف

مکاتب دولتی کم بودیبخاطر

یبخاطر کیفیت پائین مکاتب دولت

عالقمندی شهروندای پولدار

کم بودی مکاتب دختران

بخاطر امکانات منافع

.شما بیشتر از یک انتخاب را ارایه میتوانیدمهمترین اهداف ارائه دهنده گان خدمات مکاتب خصوصی چیست؟ .۲

فامیل های ثروتمند اطفال صرف برای

به خاطر بهبود کیفیت تعلیمی

برای منافع شخصی

دیګر واضیع نماید---------------------------

؟به نظر شما کدام ارائه دهنده گان خدمات تعلیمی مکاتب مطابق به جنبه های زیر بهتر کار میکنند ۳

خصوصی دولتی

31

یادار

حضور استادان

درسی

یهتعلیم و ترب

سهولت های صنفی

انگلیس بیشتر تدریس میگردد

.سهولت های تدریس کمپیوتر عرضه میگردد

دست یابیهای خوب درسی

انتظام خوبی صنفی

برابری جنس

تعلیم بدنی

دخالت والد ین

.اوقات تدریس طوالنی تر از مکاتب دولتی است

بوقت تکمیل کردن کتابها

روزانه چند ساعت تدریس میکنید؟.۴

شاګرد برای رسشنامه پ

جنس:

زن □ مرد □

--------------------------------سن:

آیا والدین شما فیس برای مکتب تان پرداخت میکند؟. ۱

بلی

خیر

ست ................. اگر بلی، فیس ماهوار چند ا

. منبع اصلی در آمد فامیل شما کیست؟۲

پدر

مادر

برادر

خواهر

غیر از اینها

. شغل پدر شما چیست؟۳

دهقان

تاجر

کارمند سازمانهای دولتی

کارمند دولتی

کارمند سازمان بین المیللی

بی کار

. شغل مادر شما چیست؟۴

خانم خانه

دهقان

32

تاجر

کارمند سازمانهای دولتی

کارمند دولتی

کارمند سازمان بین المیللی

بی کار

کمپیوتر دسترسی دارید؟ به. آیا شما ۵

بلی

خیر

اګر جواب مثبت است

در خانه

در مکتب

هر دو

)جای دیګر )مثال نیت کیفی

. آیا شما به انترنت دسترسی دارید؟۶

بلی

خیر

اګر جواب مثبت است

در خانه

در مکتب

هر دو

) جای دیګر )مثال نیت کیفی

؟. وضعیت اقتصادی فامیل خود را به کدام مرحله به حساب می آورید۷

ند ثروتم

متوسط

غریب

؟کسی همرایتان کمک میکوند گیخان کارهایدر. آیا ۸

بلی

خیر

بشما کمک میکوند هااګر بلی کی

مادر

پدر

برادر

خواهر

غیر از انها

پرسشنامه برای والدین

بی سواد □ تحصیلی: درجه

□۱۲-۱۱صنف □۶-۹صنف □۶-دکتر صرف تا صنف □ماستر □لیسانس □

جنس:

زن □

مرد □

رشته تحصیلی:

------------------ سن:

______

33

سران د ر تعداد پ

تعداد دختران در -------------مکتب خصوصی

---------------مکتب خصوصی

------------------ب دولتیمکت -------------------مکتب دولتی

تعدادی اوالدها

شغل شما چیست؟ . ۱

کشاورز

بازرگان

کارمند سازمان های غیردولتی

کارمند دولت

کارمند سازمان بین المللی

بیکار

خانم خانه

دیگر

؟چرا شما اینمکتب را برای فرزندان خود انتخاب کرده اید. ۲

یم خوب دارد تعل

آموزش خوب دارد

نظم و انضباط خوب دارد

رایگان است

در نزدیکی خانه ما است

حمل و نقل را فراهم می کنند

معلمان واجد شرایط دارد

کتب درسی خوب دارد

تمام مضامین در زبان انگلیسی تدریس میگردد

ی کندآموزش کامپیوتر را فراهم م

دیگر

فیس ماهانه وهزینه حمل ونقل فرزندان تان چقدر است ؟. ۳

........... فیس

........... هزینه حمل ونقل

؟ ضرورت داردکمک به آیا فرزندانشما در اجراِ کارخانگی. ۴

بلی

خیر

چگونه وضعیت اقتصادی خانواده تان رتبه بندی میکنید ؟. ۵

غنی

متوسط

رفقی

34

ANNEX (B)

Questions to principals of the schools

Q 1: What is the number of male and female teachers in your school?

Q 2: How much is the monthly salary of the teachers in your schools?

Q 3: How many students are there in class six of your schools (boys & girls)?

Q 4: Do you have play ground or sport ground in your school?

سواالت برای مدیران مکا تب

تعداد استادان ذکور و اناث در مکتب شما؟ .۱

مبلغ معاش ماهانه استادان مکتب شما؟ .۲

تعداد متعلمین ذکور و اناث در صنف ششم مکتب شما؟ .۳

ای بازی دار؟آیا مکتب شما ج .۴

ANNEX (C)

Table 1. The schools which were interviewed

Kabul District Private Schools Public Schools

District 2 Lycee Khana-e-Faham Lycee Sheereno

District 4 Lycee Tanweer Lycee Wazeer Akbar Khan

District 5 Lycee Ahmad shah Abdali Lycee Shamsul Mashayekh

District 6 Maihan School Lycee Durani

District 10 Lycee Khedmat Lycee Bibi Mehro

35

ANNEX (D) MoE Letter of Permission in Dari Language

36

ANNEX (E) Participants List of Teacher Educator Master Program