KABUL (SW) – In a series of interviews conducted by Salam Watandar, a number of the Afghan youths shared their motivations for learning foreign languages as they plan to leave Afghanistan.
Among 29 individuals, including seven girls, interviewed across five language training centers in Kabul, 14 said they are focused on learning English language, 12 are studying German language, 3 are engaged in learning Russian, Arabic, and Spanish languages. Out of these 29 youths, 24 are learning foreign languages primarily for migration purposes, while 5 aim to enhance their career prospects and skills.
Among the 24 interviewees planning to migrate, 10 are learning languages for educational purposes, 11 for obtaining work visas and 3 to reunite with their families abroad.
Hamid Rasa and Wahida Ahmadi, two residents of Kabul engaged in learning German language, emphasized the abundant educational opportunities Germany offers to youths. They aim to leverage their German language skills to benefit from these opportunities.
Hamid Rasa said, “Germany provides numerous opportunities for young people, whether for education or to build a good life. I invest 3,500 afghanis monthly in learning German because my goal is proficiency in the language.” Wahida Ahmadi, who used to study journalism at university, also stated: “When universities closed, I decided to learn a new language. I’ve been studying German for six months now to pursue higher education in Germany.”
Similarly, more young individuals aspiring learning German language, are focused on obtaining a German work visa to legally immigrate to Germany.
One of the students, Sayed Aqil Hashemi explains: “I’ve just graduated from school and chose German for my university entrance exam. I’ve been dedicated to learning German for four months now. I’ve always liked the language and aim to secure a German work visa. My goal is to work legally in Germany after gaining proficiency.”
“My aim in learning German is not to illegally migrate to Europe but to use legal channels to go to Germany. Germany has a program where you can learn a profession within three years and then receive a red passport to live and work there. That’s why I’m learning German,” said Ekramullah a student in one of the language training centers.
Alongside educational goals, many young individuals in Kabul are diligently learning foreign languages to reunite with their families abroad.
Shokriya Nezami, actively learning German language, expresses her aspirations: “I want to go to Germany, so I’m striving to learn the language. It will greatly assist me there, both for duty and life, and in the process to reuniting with my family.”
Simultaneously, five youths cite enhancing their skills and career growth as their primary reasons for learning foreign languages. They believe mastering a foreign language can significantly smooth their personal development.
Tanwir Ahmad Rahimi, a trader investing a year in learning English to foster constructive communication with his business partners abroad, remarks, “English is a global language. Since our business revolves around trade, English is highly effective. Our trade grows because we engage with foreigners, so we learn this language for better understanding and communication.”
Ahmad Zia Ahmadi, aspiring for a better life and deeper technological understanding, turns to learning English: “Language acquisition is a skill, and I aim to enhance my capabilities. My goal is to advance with this language because today’s world revolves around English and technology. Mastering foreign languages, especially English, accelerates our professional duties.”
Officials from foreign language training centers, interviewed for this report, indicate that a significant number of their students, especially youths, are opting to learn foreign languages with the goal of leaving Afghanistan, partly to enhance their skills.
Nawid Ghafori, the director of Kabul Oxford foreign languages center in Shahr-e Naw area of the city, states, “Most of our students, around 90%, are aged between 20 to 25. Our center caters largely to individuals involved in commerce and trade, while 95% of the students are learning a foreign languages for the purpose of leaving the country.”
Similarly, Nawidullah Samadi, managing director of City languages center in Qala-e-Fathullah area, Kabul, added, “The motivation is to globally being able to communicated; whether for work, business, or living abroad. Most of our students are females aiming to reunite with family or spouses. Proficiency in German significantly influences their asylum applications, prioritizing those who have language skills.”
Foreign language education among youths saw a surge during the Republic era, resulting in the establishment of numerous training centers in Kabul and other provinces. However, it remains unclear how the number of centers and students has changed over the past three years sine the fall of the Republic.
Efforts were made to include statistics on active foreign language training centers and student numbers in Afghanistan in this report, however, the Ministry of Education was not prepared to collaborate on this matter.
