Afghanistan vs Cambodia
Side-by-side comparison of how these places approach childhood.
Afghanistan
Since 2021, Afghan girls over 12 are banned from attending school.
The Taliban's return ended two decades of progress in girls' education, affecting 1.4 million secondary-school girls.
Cambodia
Cambodia lost 75% of its teachers during the Khmer Rouge genocide.
The education system was rebuilt nearly from scratch after 1979, and that legacy still shapes schools today.
Afghanistan
Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, girls above grade 6 are banned from school and women from universities. Boys' education continues but with revised curriculum emphasizing religious studies. Before 2021, enrollment had risen from near-zero for girls to 3.5 million.
Cambodia
Cambodia's 6-3-3 system was rebuilt after the Khmer Rouge destroyed education entirely. Primary enrollment is now 97% but secondary drops to 45%. Many schools operate double shifts. Pagoda schools supplement government education in rural areas.
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