KABUL (SW) – Afghanistan saw major setbacks in the education sector in the year 2021 ranging from the COvid-19 pandemic to the drastic change in the system of governance.
Higher education in 2021 faced major obstacles in Afghanistan. In April 2021, schools and universities resumed for two months and continued normally, but the spread of the coronavirus again damaged the normal process of education.
At the same time, educational institutions, schools and universities were closed down, and these institutions began the online education system. The use of this method was criticized by students.
Two months after the closure of schools and universities, the Ministries of Education and Higher Education announced in July that educational institutions would be gradually reopened. Meanwhile, there were reports of a series of falls of the districts to the Islamic Emirate.
On August 15, 2021, Afghanistan was completely taken over by the Islamic Emirate.
Initially, Islamic Emirate officials did not announce a clear policy toward educating students, but a month after their absolute domination of the country, the Ministry of Education issued a statement issuing permits for boys’ schools from the sixth grade onwards while girls were not allowed to be educated above grade six.
Mehraban, who was a 12th grade student and was expecting to enter the university after passing the entrance exam, says that the outbreak of the coronavirus and the subsequent rule of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has taken all her aspirations away.
“2021 was not a good year, because in the first year, the outbreak of the coronavirus disrupted the educational process, and after that, the arrival of the Taliban was the second damage to the educational process.”
In September 2021, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared that Afghanistan was in danger of a generational catastrophe in the field of education.
The Islamic Emirate did not allow girls to go to school, prompting national and international criticism. The Islamic Emirate has recently stated that it plans to allow girls back to school.
“The 2021 school year was not a good year for girls and boys, and especially for girls because the girls ‘schools were closed and the boys’ schools lacked teachers, there was no checking system that could check the teaching process.”
Four and a half months after that, universities across the country are still closed and there is no news of its reopening.
Fayez Frantish, a university student, says the failure to open the universities has left the students frustrated with the future. “2021 was not a good year, especially for us students. It was a year full of problems, darkness, and despair. We could not achieve our goals”.
At the last meeting held by the officials of the Ministry of Higher Education of the Islamic Emirate, the head of the ministry spoke about the plan to reopen the universities. It is not yet clear whether schools and universities will start operating next year, and what steps the Islamic Emirate will take to reopen educational institutions.
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