The BBC World Service has launched a new series of its education program, Dars, aimed at Afghan children who are unable to attend school. This fourth series, supported by the Malala Fund, introduces fresh themes and content. Topics include coping with psychological trauma, tailored math lessons, climate change discussions, and media literacy.
Dars, which means “Lesson” in Dari and Pashto, is a half-hour program available on TV, radio, and online. It is produced and broadcast in Afghanistan’s two national languages, Dari and Pashto. The series started on April 1, 2023, to help children, particularly girls aged 11-16, who cannot go to school. This September marks three years since girls above grade six have been denied education in Afghanistan.
The new series features female hosts, including BBC journalists Shazia Haya and Malaika Ahmadzai in Pashto, along with Sahar Rahimi and Alia Rajai in Dari. Shazia, Malaika, and Sahar were evacuated from Kabul after the Taliban took over.
Dars also integrates content from BBC Children’s and Education materials, working alongside BBC Teach, which provides free educational resources to UK schools, and BBC Bitesize, an online support tool for UK students.
In this series, the math lessons are specifically designed for Afghan children. They were created with the help of Afghan educators and feature a female Afghan math graduate who demonstrates how math is used in everyday life.
Sahar Halaimzai, Director of the Malala Fund Afghanistan Initiative, stated, “As Afghan girls face another year without access to school, we are proud to partner with organizations that offer alternative and digital education paths in Afghanistan.”
Fiona Crack, Controller of BBC Languages, added, “With millions of girls in their third year without formal education, the Dars program is more vital than ever. It is crucial that we return for this fourth series and expand our content to include important topics like mental health, climate change, and misinformation. The BBC World Service aims to inform and educate those in need, and Dars is a prime example of our mission in action.”
Dars will air each Saturday starting September 28, with repeat broadcasts throughout the week. It will be available on the BBC News Afghanistan satellite channel, through the BBC FM transmitters in Afghanistan, as well as on shortwave and medium wave. Additionally, it can be accessed via the BBC News Pashto and BBC News Dari social media channels, and is part of the BBC News Persian TV channel’s programming.
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