The published study tested a school program in rural Afghanistan to see if it could help children learn better and feel more confident at school. The program had two parts: (1) community workshops where parents, teachers, students, and school committees mapped school problems and chose practical “action ideas” (like improving classrooms or holding regular parent–teacher meetings), and (2) teacher training in child-centered, project-based learning that gets students actively involved in lessons.
Eighty-three primary schools across three provinces took part. Forty schools received the program and 43 continued with usual teaching. Researchers followed 2,519 children in grades 3 and 5 over three rounds of surveys and tests.
What did we find? Overall, children in program schools showed meaningful gains in “life skills” (such as problem-solving, communicating, and working with others), self-efficacy (confidence in their abilities), and basic literacy, compared with children in schools that did not receive the program. These improvements were modest but statistically reliable.
Two patterns stood out. First, girls tended to benefit more than boys, especially in life skills, self-efficacy, and reading—important progress in a setting where girls’ education faces many barriers, primarily from the current Taliban government.
Second, schools that fully carried out the community “action ideas” and regularly used project-based lessons saw the biggest and most lasting improvements—a clear dose–response effect.
Not everything moved in the same direction. Reports of stigma and discrimination sometimes increased—particularly where the program was only partially implemented—suggesting that meaningful reductions in prejudice likely require longer, deeper engagement.
This is an open access article and available through: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S073805932500207X#:~:text=After%20adjusting%20for%20covariates%2C%20children,0.14%2C%20p%20%3C%200.01).