CARE is currently conducting its second teacher training workshop in Kabul, with more than 600 women attending. Each two-week workshop for trainers covers various educational tools such as the development of teaching aid materials and student-oriented class methods.

"The teacher training program is a big step toward the rebuilding of Afghanistan," said Paul Barker, country director for CARE in Afghanistan. "Many changes have occurred with the new administration. The biggest is the liberation of professional Afghan women, who now have the freedom to work outside the home. But there are still big challenges before us – from the security of the country to its physical reconstruction. It is vital that women actively participate in the rebuilding process."

The Taliban restrictions on women’s employment and girls’ education resulted in the loss of many skilled female teachers. Now, an estimated 4,000 women have returned to teaching and are holding classes in reopened schools in Kabul.

"CARE began the female teacher training program to ensure that the teachers are equipped with adequate knowledge and skills to provide quality education," said Waleed Hakim, deputy manager of CARE’s education program. "The Ministry of Education will be able to use these trainers as a resource pool for their future training programs."

Zabihullah Esmati, deputy of teacher training in Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education, believes the role of teachers is critical to change in Afghanistan: "We and our children have always heard of and talked about the war in the past 23 years," said Esmati. "Now with the collapse of the Taliban regime and the beginning of a new administration, it is the responsibility of the qualified teachers to introduce a peace culture in the society."