[ti:]Afghan Women Work, Learn and Make Gains in Former Taliban Base [ar:]Mario Ritter [al:]Education Report [by:www.21voa.com] [00:00.00]From VOA Learning English, [00:02.11]this is the Education Report. [00:04.75]Security risks are said to be widespread [00:08.86]in the southern Afghan Province of Kandahar. [00:12.16] Yet the number of women working in Kandahar [00:15.92] has risen during the past year. [00:18.57]Jawaid Faisal is a spokesman for Kandahar's governor. [00:23.69] Mr Faisal told VOA's Afghan service [00:28.13]that the provincial government employs more than 1,150 women, [00:33.94]most of them as teachers. [00:36.25]That is up from about 900 female teachers last year. [00:42.16]Kandahar is the former power base of the Taliban [00:47.29]and its leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, [00:50.63]he disappeared in 2001 [00:53.44]after United States led forces [00:55.99]ousted the Taliban from power. [00:58.30]The Taliban ruled Kandahar from 1994 to 2002. [01:04.80]During that period, [01:07.14]women were banned from working outside the home, [01:10.61]most girls could not attend school [01:13.87]and no girls graduated. [01:16.37]This year, 500 girls will complete high school. [01:20.74]Mohammad Ewaz Nazari is an education official in the province. [01:27.57]He said Kandahar has about 47,000 female students [01:33.53]and the numbers are rising. [01:36.08]He described an increasing demand for jobs [01:40.19]among both educated and uneducated women. [01:43.94]Mr Nazari said 600 illiterate women [01:49.47]have asked the government [01:51.37]to help them find work. [01:53.38]He said the provincial government [01:56.44]is attempting to find jobs for these women [02:00.00]who can not read or write. [02:02.20]In addition to government positions such as teachers, [02:07.26]women are also working for private businesses. [02:11.62]Maryam Durani operates a local radio station, [02:16.87]she is also a leading womenĄŻs rights activist. [02:21.08]She won the International Women of Courage Award in 2012, [02:26.60]an award given by the American secretary of state. [02:30.92]Maryam Durani said women in Kandahar [02:35.66]need more job opportunities, [02:38.48]but she also said they must consolidate, [02:42.61]strengthen the gains they have already made. [02:46.22]A non-governmental group, [02:50.66]the Afghan School project [02:52.59]has given women year long scholarships [02:55.76]that can lead to careers. [02:57.62]The recipients attend programs [03:01.16]at the Kandahar Institute of Modern Studies. [03:04.57]The Institute offers training in Business Management, [03:09.48]Information Technology, English and Communications. [03:15.55]Some Afghans have expressed concern [03:20.71]that the Taliban could regain power, [03:23.95]now that US troops are moving [03:26.99]toward the end of fighting in Afghanistan. [03:30.19]And they say the progress of womenĄŻs rights [03:34.36]could be lost if that happens. [03:37.12]From VOA Learning English, [03:42.54]that's the Education Report. [03:44.95]For more stories about education, [03:48.78]go to our website, 51voa.com. [03:54.89]I'm Mario Ritter.