Since the collapse of Afghanistan to the Taliban, numerous unanswered questions have emerged and various social groups are facing confusion. Many people have left the country, and those who remain are encountering significant challenges. Meanwhile, we aim to analyze the impact of this transformation on schools and the educational system.
Some people may not consider this topic to be very important. However, even if all the necessary educational resources are provided, the success rate of preventing girls from attending school will not exceed 50%. The deprivation of girls from education is the most fundamental problem that the Taliban emirate has not addressed, and after two years, this issue has become more politicized. The issue of education has faced significant challenges in the current conditions.
In the past twenty years, certain provinces in Afghanistan, particularly Daikundi, have placed a strong emphasis on educational programs and improving schools. However, the villages in this province face challenges such as drought, limited agricultural land, and a lack of non-agricultural job opportunities. Despite these difficulties, families in this province rely on agricultural production to cover the expenses of their children. They used to spend a significant amount of money on exam preparation centers to ensure their children’s success. With the establishment of the Islamic Republic and the start of the third millennium, schools were established in most villages in this province. As a result, some students who started school at a young age have completed their bachelor’s degrees, while others have gone on to earn master’s degrees and graduate from universities.
Now that two decades have passed since the beginning of that educational movement, school buildings and classrooms, some of which were constructed with personal funds and effort, are lacking girls, and male students lack the enthusiasm to attend classes. Perhaps, the exclusion of girls from education is one of the most significant reasons for this. When male students return home from school and witness their sisters crying due to their exclusion, the innocence of these students will distort the teacher’s explanations of the concept of justice in their minds. This implies that male students now have less belief in the motivational words and moral advice of their teachers and coaches, and they receive less encouragement from their families.
After the government collapsed, a significant number of young people, including underage students, left the country either knowingly or unknowingly. It can be claimed that approximately one-third of the students in grades 11 and 12 have dropped out of school on average. This high dropout rate is a major failure for the country’s education system. Undoubtedly, among those who left, there were talented and motivated students who became discouraged and unmotivated due to the government’s collapse and the presence of the Taliban. Some of these students, along with their families, left the country due to security threats from the Taliban. As these students distanced themselves from school, their classmates and friends also suffered the loss. Some of them were engaged in healthy competition, striving for better education and higher scores. Losing their competitors meant losing the opportunity for this beneficial competition. Without competitors, there is no arena for growth.
Since August 15, 2021, numerous jobs have ceased to exist, leading to a significant increase in unemployment rates in the country. Additionally, working women who are the primary earners for their households have also lost their jobs. As a result, the children from these families are being compelled to work in place of their unemployed mothers and immigrant fathers, taking on the responsibility of supporting the family financially. In rural areas, these children are involved in agricultural and animal husbandry activities, while some of them migrate to countries like Iran, where they engage in strenuous labor upon the advice of their families.
One factor that has impacted this issue is the shortage of qualified teachers and trainers. Many teachers have been displaced due to recent changes. They have either immigrated, abandoned their positions, or intentionally transferred from distant schools to nearby ones. Most of the new teachers recruited by the Taliban have been involved in warfare, are strict and impolite, and are unfamiliar with effective teaching methods. Additionally, their level of literacy is not comparable to that of professional teachers. This group of teachers aims to highlight the shortcomings of the previous government, justify the actions of the Taliban, and primarily criticize the students’ history. As a result, students do not have a positive emotional response towards them. This animosity towards the teachers also hinders education.
In addition to these problems, schools have experienced a decline in prosperity. The next generation, who are expected to lead the country’s government, are already disillusioned, disappointed, and lack a plan. It is now possible that 10% of students do not believe they will be able to find employment in the future through their education. The remaining 90%, even if they continue attending school due to family pressure, are seeking alternative paths for their future other than university and scientific work. In this situation, the issues in the country’s education system cannot be solely attributed to the exclusion of girls from education. Those who have not been prevented from attending school by the Taliban’s orders have still been deprived of quality education due to other measures, such as the appointment of illiterate individuals in government positions and the hiring of teachers with limited literacy skills. Currently, the lack of access to education is a prevailing condition.
Read this article in Farsi here.
