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From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report. |
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Security risks are set to be widespread in the southern Afghan Province of Kandahar. |
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Yet the number of women working in Kandahar has risen during the past year. |
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Jawaid Faisal is a spokesman for Kandahar's governor. |
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Mr Faisal told VOA's Afghan service that the provincial government employs more than 1,150 women, most of them as teachers. |
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That is up from about 900 female teachers last year. |
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Kandahar is the former power base of the Taliban and its leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, |
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he disappeared in 2001 after United States led forces ousted the Taliban from power. |
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The Taliban ruled Kandahar from 1994 to 2002. During that period, |
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women were banned from working outside the home, |
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most girls could not attend school and no girls graduated. |
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This year, 500 girls will complete high school. |
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Mohammad Ewaz Nazari is an education official in the province. |
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He said Kandahar has about 47,000 female students and the numbers are rising. |
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He described an increasing demand for jobs among both educated and uneducated women. |
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Mr Nazari said 600 illiterate women have asked the government to help them find work. |
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He said the provincial government is attempting to find jobs for these women who can not read or write. |
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In addition to government positions such as teachers, women are also working for private businesses. |
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Maryam Durani operates a local radio station, she is also a leading women's rights activist. |
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She won the International Women of Courage Award in 2012, an award given by the American secretary of state. |
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Maryam Durani said women in Kandahar need more job opportunities, |
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but she also said they must consolidate, strengthen the gains they already made. |
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A non-governmental group, the Afghan School project has given women year long scholarships that can led to Koreas. |
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The recipients attend programs at the Kandahar Institute of Modern Studies. |
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The Institute offers training in Business Management, Information Technology, English and Communications. |
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Some Afghans have expressed concern that the Taliban could regain power, |
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now that US troops are moving toward the end of fighting in Afghanistan. |
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And they say the progress of women's rights could be lost if that happens. |
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From VOA Learning English, that's the Education Report. |