Help Afghans Learn Computing and Coding

Computing classes remain popular at all AIL Learning Centers that are able to offer the subject. AIL buys computers or updates computing equipment whenever possible and has received some specific funding for this purpose. Electricity supply can sometimes be a problem at centers and this obviously affects the computing classes. Afghanistan’s electricity network needs development and is under stress in certain areas and at certain high demand times. The centers do their best to work with this, as with any other problem.

In January 2015, there were 408 students studying computing in Herat Province. Of these 242 were female and 153 of them adolescent girls. There are 19 computing classes and 8 teachers in Herat centers. Kabul Province has 228 computer students and 85 of them are in a special English/Computer combined class.

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As elsewhere in the world, computing skills are highly desirable to employers. Students are aware of this fact and are also fascinated by computers. The boys computing class in one village in Kabul Province is always full. This class was set up as an offshoot from the Learning Center (LC) established in the village by AIL in 2002 and also the medical clinic. The LC provided literacy, math, English and sewing skills training as well as advanced classes for boys who needed remedial work for school. The center then decided to set up a computer class as this was frequently requested. The class teaches Word, Excel and Windows.

Many of AIL’s centers offer computing classes and in September, in Herat Province there were 512 students (346 female) studying computing at LCs. There is also a special English and Computing 6 month course offered at a few centers. In Kabul this combined class has 308 students at 2 sites. The latter course is especially popular as it combines two highly regarded skills and makes navigating the internet that much easier.

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• Newsletter2014_.F2.pdf (PDF)