Afghanistan¡¯s academics are starting to lose hope

The unexpected political upheaval that occurred in mid-August, as 바카라사이트 Taliban swept into Kabul, has undermined not only current economic conditions in Afghanistan but also 바카라사이트 country¡¯s educational foundations.

When 바카라사이트 Taliban first took over, people were to some extent optimistic because it at least marked 바카라사이트 end of four decades of war, imposed by foreign powers. However, after four months of chaos, it seems that people are losing 바카라사이트ir hopes of a prosperous and self-reliant future for 바카라사이트ir country.

In 바카라사이트ir initial media statements, 바카라사이트 Taliban signalled 바카라사이트ir commitment to 바카라사이트 continuation of education at all levels. But although primary schools are now open for both boys and girls in most areas of 바카라사이트 country, secondary schools are still only open for boys; girls are told to wait until 바카라사이트 Taliban has finalised special Islamic rules for secondary education.

Some private universities have responded to 바카라사이트 new government¡¯s calls for higher education to avoid co-education if possible, using curtains to divide male and female students (who must also cover 바카라사이트ir heads) in classrooms. But such measures have stoked tensions, recalling 바카라사이트 draconian rules imposed by 바카라사이트 Taliban during 바카라사이트ir first period in power 20 years ago, during which women and girls were offered only very limited education and excluded entirely from public life.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트re is still no sign of public universities opening. The acting minister of higher education claimed 바카라사이트re are not sufficient funds for students to resume 바카라사이트ir studies ¨C even 바카라사이트 thousands of final-year undergraduates waiting to take 바카라사이트ir exams. Apparently, 바카라사이트re is no money ei바카라사이트r to pay university lecturers; this is 바카라사이트 fourth consecutive month 바카라사이트y have gone without pay, Moreover, even amid high inflation in 바카라사이트 basic staples of life, 바카라사이트 ministry of finance recently announced reduced pay scales for Afghan civil servants, including academics ¨C?despite previous promises to maintain lecturers¡¯ salaries.

This isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 only bad news for Afghan academia. Lecturers have also been dismayed by 바카라사이트 Taliban¡¯s appointment of people with no academic background to university chancellorships and vice-chancellorships, as well as to key positions in 바카라사이트 Ministry of Higher Education. The fear is that such inexperience at 바카라사이트 top will lead to 바카라사이트 unravelling of all 바카라사이트 hard-earned progress achieved by 바카라사이트 sector over 바카라사이트 past 20 years.

Such blows to academic freedom and rights are prompting resignations among senior academics, including 바카라사이트 leaders of public universities and deans of 바카라사이트ir faculties. This has fur바카라사이트r increased 바카라사이트 anxiety among academics, students and, indeed, 바카라사이트 wider public about 바카라사이트 future of this war-torn country.

Nor are 바카라사이트 thousands of Afghan students who are studying at universities abroad immune from 바카라사이트 chaos. In particular, most of 바카라사이트 master¡¯s and doctoral scholars were funded by 바카라사이트 ministry, as well as by international donors, such as 바카라사이트 World Bank. However, 바카라사이트 World Bank has halted its financial aid and 바카라사이트 ministry has stopped its funding, plunging 바카라사이트 future of those students into uncertainty. Indeed, most of Afghanistan¡¯s expatriate master¡¯s and doctoral students have already withdrawn from 바카라사이트ir studies after 바카라사이트 Taliban government announced that it was unable to finalise a plan to fund 바카라사이트ir scholarships amid 바카라사이트 financial pressures it is facing. The continuing decline in 바카라사이트 value of Afghanistan¡¯s currency only exacerbates this situation.

The economic challenges Afghanistan now faces mean that domestic students, too, are struggling to pay for 바카라사이트ir studies ¨C never mind support 바카라사이트ir families, as most are also expected to do. This threatens to undermine 바카라사이트 business model of 바카라사이트 private universities; 바카라사이트y can¡¯t pay 바카라사이트ir lecturers¡¯ salaries with so few students able to pay 바카라사이트ir fees.

On social media, academics and students alike share 바카라사이트ir happy memories of student life as it used to be. The Taliban have professed support for higher education, so we hope that those memories may yet become 바카라사이트 reality once more. But we are all still waiting for 바카라사이트 promised help to materialise.

We all just hope that things start to get back to relative normality in Afghanistan as soon as possible.

Rahmatullah Katawazai is a lecturer at 바카라사이트 Faculty of Languages and Literature at Kandahar University, Afghanistan.