Since the launch of modern schools in Afghanistan, its curriculum has been stuck between moving toward specialization/modernization, and including the political agenda of the ruling regime. The urge to modernize curriculum which means to include natural science subjects that enable future generations keep up with rest of the world has specially been high and stressed by many. Political use of curriculum on the other hand means to calibrate the concepts to promote political vision of different regimes. For example the curriculum during Hashim khan served ethnic hegemony of a certain ethnic group, later during communist regime was used to create cult-like followers for the regime, and during Mujahidin and Taliban to promote religious fundamentalism.
The Madrassas where the Taliban were trained have always been rivals of modern school and attacked it in the name of modern education. In a book that is considered their manifesto, the Taliban’s supreme judge says the following about modern education:
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan prioritize Islamic studies over modern education which means natural science should come secondary only to Islamic studies since focus on modern education can corrupt beliefs. So ulema should discourage people from attaining modern education due to its corrosive effect on moral and religion of Muslims. People learn the modern science to make their lives better in this world and anything that helps left them out of poverty is forbidden; because it signifies their materialistic vision and fear of poverty is forbidden and the only legitimate fear is from God. A good Muslim spend twice as much on religious studies as on modern science such as chemistry or agriculture. Another negative aspect of modern science is that it is learned in a religion-free environment where debauchery is prevalent which really shouldn’t be this way because our ultimate goals is good dead and intact beliefs.
The above paragraph perfectly demonstrate Taliban’s view on modern science and the way curriculum should be developed. The changes they will bring to the curriculum is going to radicalize young generation and will be detrimental to the future of Afghanistan.
This all happens in Afghanistan while rest of the world invest heftily on education system and think about how can it generate responsible next generation that are equipped with the knowledge of modern science and technology and ready to explore the universe. Other countries think of the education system as something that needs constant change and upgrade. In Afghanistan they go to exact opposite direction, Taliban strives to create medieval education system one that produce soldiers for terrorist organization and this way continue the cycle of terrorism, insecurity and bloodshed in the regions for years to come.