This training is being conducted by Teacher Training Institute professors and Adult Education experts from NLD and ANAFAE for class XII graduates. The workshop also aims to train graduate students from various Teacher Training Institutes and Universities in the country.

At the inauguration ceremony, Dr. Hameda Huma Nooristani, Director of the Literacy Department Teacher Training Section, emphasized on the importance of the Master Trainers. She said, “In Afghanistan, there is no government institution for andragogy. I thank the NGOs and their partners that they are working to fulfill this gap in the education system“.

Andragogy refers to teaching strategies developed for adult learners. It is often interpreted as the process of engaging adult learners, aged 15 till 45 years, with the structure of learning experience.

Nooristani added that, out of the nearly 68% illiterate population of the country, around 60% of comprise of women. Thus, she said, female professional teachers are required, along with able trainers to train them in literacy education.

Najeebur Rahman Khalil, the National Project Manager of ANAFAE, describes the aim of this training as a capacity building workshop to build the capacity of the NLD staff, to help bring into effect the implementation methodologies of literacy programs by NLD and other organizations active in this field.

The workshop will culminate in December. The trainees will receive the training for two days in each week. During this workshop, the trainees will receive twenty-four hours of theoretical and practical training in three months.

Nooristani said that after the master trainers are trained, they will be sent to different provinces of Afghanistan to train literacy trainers.

She further appreciated the efforts that ANAFAE has undertaken in this regard and requested the NGOs, active in the field of literacy, to encourage and enroll the eligible Afghans to participate in the literacy courses.

ANAFAE is one the closest partners of Afghan National Literacy Department, and has provided its constant support and cooperation in its activities since 2005.

ANAFAE trained ten master trainers in the year 2012, for the department and has also supported it to develop the Training Manual for training the Master Trainers