Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday called on Taliban militants not to prevent children from education.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday called on Taliban militants not to prevent children from education.

"My message to all those opposing education intentionally or unintentionally and prevent children from going to school is to give up this practice,"Karzai said in his opening remarks to inaugurate new educational year.

Targeting schools and preventing children from schooling is against the teaching of Islam and the interest of Afghanistan, Karzai added.

The Afghan President also stressed for peace and said efforts for brining peace and stability in the country is the responsibility of all Afghans.

Linking the prosperity of the country to better education, President karzai called on boys and girls to study hard and take Afghanistan towards development and progress.

In spite of government efforts, still 5 million children have no access to school while 420 schools mostly in the troubled southern region where Taliban are active are still remained closed due to security problems which have deprived more than 200,000 children from education, according to Afghan Education Minister Ghulam Farook Wardak.

"Today 7 million Afghan children including 37 percent girls go to school,"the Minister said in his remarks.

Wardak urged people particularly the tribal elders to do their best for reopening more schools in the country.