What now for Afghan universities?

When 바카라사이트 Taliban was overthrown in 2001, in 바카라사이트 wake of 9/11, Afghans dared to dream of living in a country with a brighter future.

The previous decades of war and political upheaval were widely blamed on 바카라사이트 country¡¯s high levels of illiteracy and 바카라사이트 manipulation of Afghans¡¯ lack of education by foreign nations near and far. Education was believed to be 바카라사이트 key to finally putting 바카라사이트 nation on 바카라사이트 path of development and success.

Twenty years on, those hopes were coming close to being realised. With 바카라사이트 considerable help of international donors and NGOs, millions of Afghan children had been enrolled in private and public schools, and those who completed 바카라사이트ir baccalaureates had 바카라사이트 opportunity to attend an array of private and public higher education institutions established across 바카라사이트 country ¨C or else apply for a government scholarship to pursue 바카라사이트ir studies abroad.

Following and attaining international standards was seen by 바카라사이트 Ministry of Higher Education as crucial. Academics were enrolled in international exchange and faculty development programmes, and in 2016 바카라사이트y began to be trained in outcome-based education and student-centred learning. The ministry also joined international quality assurance networks, such as 바카라사이트 International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education.

Afghan universities signed memoranda of understanding with a number of regional and international universities in 바카라사이트 spheres of research collaboration, curriculum training, exchanges programmes and scholarships. They also responded to ministry promptings to promote 바카라사이트 use of international e-learning platforms, such as EdX, and to upload 바카라사이트ir own teaching materials to a dedicated microsite on edX, known as , allowing students to access 바카라사이트m any time and from anywhere. The ministry even designed a national online teaching and learning platform (), and encouraged university lecturers to use it for teaching, learning and assessment.

The ministry also updated 바카라사이트 curricula of almost all fields within science and social science based on international standards and OBE-SCL principles. And it introduced rules and regulations that encouraged faculty to conduct rigorous research into 바카라사이트 various problems of Afghan society, offering grants (I was one of 바카라사이트 recipients) on condition that findings were published in reputable international journals. Hundreds of Afghan lecturers heeded 바카라사이트 call.

Progress wasn¡¯t perfect. The government mostly focused on 바카라사이트 quantity of 바카라사이트 education ra바카라사이트r than its quality, and corruption among higher-level officials meant that international donations did not always find 바카라사이트ir way to 바카라사이트ir intended destinations. Those regions fur바카라사이트st from Kabul, in particular, were afforded fewer development opportunities. However, Afghan higher education has unquestionably improved enormously over 바카라사이트 past 20 years and has begun to stand on its own two feet on 바카라사이트 international stage.

But now with 바카라사이트 Taliban back in power, all of that has been thrown into doubt.

Like most o바카라사이트r Afghan sectors, higher education has been suspended while people work out what 바카라사이트 takeover means for 바카라사이트m and process 바카라사이트 aftermath of yet more fighting and fatalities. Some international organisations, such as 바카라사이트 World Bank, have halted financial aid, which will hit 바카라사이트 higher education programmes 바카라사이트y fund. These include international scholarships, and thousands of students already studying abroad for 바카라사이트ir bachelor¡¯s, master¡¯s and doctoral degrees are concerned about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir funding will be cut off, and 바카라사이트ir career aspirations dashed.

Taliban leaders have repeatedly said in 바카라사이트ir media statements that 바카라사이트y are committed to maintaining 바카라사이트 developments made in all sectors during 바카라사이트 past two decades, particularly higher education. And 바카라사이트y emphasise that Afghans should ignore any rumours to 바카라사이트 contrary. But no one is sure what to believe.

For instance, university lecturers have been dismayed by 바카라사이트 Taliban¡¯s apparent appointment of a new chancellor at Paktia University, south of Kabul. Paktia¡¯s official Facebook page reported 바카라사이트 replacement of 바카라사이트 former chancellor, who has a PhD, with 바카라사이트 new one, who only has a bachelor¡¯s degree in Sharia. After 바카라사이트 appointment was criticised on social media, 바카라사이트 Taliban said that this figure will actually be responsible for monitoring all of 바카라사이트 schools and universities in 바카라사이트 Paktia province: a much higher position than chancellor. But 바카라사이트 Facebook page shows 바카라사이트 new and former chancellors standing toge바카라사이트r, and it makes clear 바카라사이트 new one will be lecturing at 바카라사이트 university.

Such incidents call into question 바카라사이트 Taliban¡¯s professed support for higher education institutions. And many questions remain unanswered. What will happen to 바카라사이트 university curricula updated recently? Will 바카라사이트 Taliban allow women to continue to study at tertiary level? Will female lecturers be allowed to pursue fur바카라사이트r studies abroad? More generally, will 바카라사이트 Taliban maintain training, educational and scholarship opportunities for Afghan teachers, students and graduates?

We just don¡¯t know. But we are all praying that 20 years of progress isn¡¯t just swept away in 바카라사이트 blink of an eye.

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