KABUL, March 24 (Xinhua) -- President Ashraf Ghani said here on Saturday that the Afghan school system had seen a significant progress but more efforts were needed to improve the quality of education in the poverty-stricken country.

"There have been significant progress in terms of quantity in Afghan education in recent years but the government is firm to develop all ways and means to boost education, and improve quality in education system in Afghanistan," Ghani said in his address to inaugurate the new educational year.

Afghanistan's Nawroz or New Year Day began on Wednesday and the educational year commenced on Saturday as thousands of new students entered primary schools on the first day of the academic year.

Both the government entities and countrymen should work in harmony to support education in the country, the president added.

The Afghan leader also urged religious scholars to encourage the parents to enroll their children in local schools as over 3.5 million school-age children have no access to education due to poverty, conflicts and insurgency.

Despite efforts by the government and local elders to support education, more than 1,000 schools remain closed as fighting and clashes have escalated across the country, according to Ghani.

The government would bolster the professionalism of teachers to provide qualitative teaching to students in schools, the president stressed.