As the Islamic Emirate completes five years in power, a number of youth are concerned about the lack of sufficient educational and job opportunities. They are calling for more opportunities for education, skills training, and employment. Salam Watandar’s interviews with 28 youth, including 16 girls and 12 boys from 13 provinces, show that they face challenges in accessing education, skills training, and job opportunities.
The youth say that limited access to professional and advanced training, as well as the lack of sustainable employment opportunities, has made their future uncertain. They are calling for more opportunities to improve their skills and find jobs that match their abilities. Of the youth interviewed, 20 called for job opportunities, higher education, and educational opportunities. Eight called for vocational opportunities and better access to education and job opportunities in the provinces, while five also called for lower education costs.
Farid Ahmadi, a 24-year-old resident of Sar-e-Pol, says that security in the country is important, but educational and job opportunities should also be provided for youth so they can build a better future for themselves.
“My most important demand is that more opportunities for jobs, education, and progress should be provided for youth. The security that exists in the country is important to the people. We want security to come with economic and job opportunities so that youth can build their future inside the country,” he says.
Raihan, a 27-year-old from Kapisa, is a medical graduate. She calls on the government to provide job opportunities for graduates in this field and begin the process of holding the exit exam for them.
“Job and higher education opportunities should be provided for youth. We have graduated from university, but so far I have not been able to work in my field as an MD or a doctor. I call on the government to hold our exit exam,” she says.
Obaidullah, an 18-year-old from Kabul, says that after graduating from school, he thought he would go to university and find a suitable job. However, because of his family’s difficult financial situation and the lack of enough opportunities, he has not been able to achieve this goal.
“The most important opportunity for me was to continue my education and find a stable job. After graduating from school, I thought I would be able to enter university and then find a suitable job. However, my family’s financial situation and the lack of enough opportunities prevented me from putting this plan into action,” he says.
Farzana Farahmand, a 24-year-old from Daikundi, calls on the government to identify the talents of youth and provide them with opportunities for education, development, and employment in different sections.
“A country can make progress when it develops its talents. To develop the talents of youth, there should be quality education that meets international standards, and jobs should be given to qualified people,” she says.
Ramin Rahimi, a 23-year-old from Baghlan, says that more investment should be made in education, employment, professional and technical fields to support the development of youth and provide them with more opportunities.
“More investment should be made in education, employment, professional, and technical fields. Creating job opportunities, supporting entrepreneurship, and providing professional training can help youth become more capable and encourage them to build their future and the future of Afghanistan inside the country instead of migrating,” he says.
Sociologists say that youth are an important and active part of society. They say the government can benefit from the abilities of youth in different sections when opportunities for their education, skills training, development, and employment are provided. They believe that investing in youth can pave the way for greater participation in the country’s economic and social development. Shoaib Ahmadi, a sociologist, says,
“Governments can benefit from youth in different sections when they work on their ideas and thinking so that they will have the desire to serve society in the future. They should also provide youth with job opportunities, educational and support programs,” he says.
Officials at the Ministry of Information and Culture of the Islamic Emirate say that the ministry is committed to improving the educational, intellectual, professional, and job-related capacities of youth. According to them, the ministry has organized hundreds of educational and academic programs, providing opportunities for hundreds of thousands of youth to participate in these programs.
Khubaib Ghufran, spokesperson for the Ministry of Information and Culture, says,
“Last year, the Ministry of Information and Culture organized various academic programs, book-reading competitions, exhibitions, and intellectual programs, paving the way for hundreds of thousands of youth to participate in these programs. In the ministry’s youth section, which focuses on improving professional and educational capacities, 19,000 youth have graduated.”
Meanwhile, officials at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Islamic Emirate say that the ministry will provide job opportunities for more than 1.4 million youth over the next five years.
Mohammad Seddiq Tawhidi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, says,
“Last year, more than 45,000 youth were given the opportunity to receive technical and vocational skills training and completed their training. Many of them were hired after graduation. Over the next five years, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs will create job opportunities for more than 1.4 million people.”
The youth interviewed for this report need opportunities for education, skills training, internships, and jobs that match their abilities to build their future. They are calling on the government to expand opportunities for specialized and practical training alongside theoretical education, as well as job opportunities, so that the capacities and abilities of youth can be used in different sections.
Reporter: Twoba Rasuli
