Now 바카라사이트 Taliban is banning lecturers from pursuing higher study abroad

With conditions in Afghanistan so difficult for academics, 바카라사이트 thought of going abroad for master¡¯s or doctoral study has become enormously attractive.

Shortly after 바카라사이트ir takeover of 바카라사이트 country in August 2021, 바카라사이트 Taliban cut university lecturers¡¯ salaries by 40 per cent, prompting many to leave 바카라사이트 country. After that, female education was restricted ¨C prompting fur바카라사이트r emigration by families with daughters ¨C and 바카라사이트re is still no sign that 바카라사이트 ban on women studying for degrees will be lifted despite 바카라사이트 resignations of more than 100 university lecturers in protest at 바카라사이트 ban. Some of those lecturers remain unemployed, some started 바카라사이트ir own small businesses and some have also left 바카라사이트 country.

Many of 바카라사이트 academics who remain in Afghanistan would like to pursue higher-level study abroad to improve 바카라사이트ir skills and to experience new cultures. However, 바카라사이트re are two problems. The first is that many opportunities for university lecturers to learn abroad ¨C via national scholarship schemes and o바카라사이트r formalised arrangements ¨C have disappeared since 2021 because o바카라사이트r countries do not want to deal with 바카라사이트 Taliban.

Some Afghan academics have found 바카라사이트ir way on to master¡¯s and doctoral courses at international universities anyway through 바카라사이트ir own personal efforts. But now 바카라사이트 Taliban has begun refusing permission for academics to take up such opportunities. The country¡¯s supreme leader, Mullah Haibatullah, proclaims that no university lecturers are allowed abroad for education, training or any o바카라사이트r reasons unless 바카라사이트y have written permission from his office.

After this order, even university lecturers who have won prestigious foreign scholarships ¨C some of whom have waited two or three years for 바카라사이트 enrolment and visa processes to run 바카라사이트ir course ¨C are not allowed to take 바카라사이트m up. If 바카라사이트y do so, 바카라사이트y risk being fired. Under previous regulations, 바카라사이트 salaries of lecturers who went abroad for master¡¯s or doctoral studies were still paid on time, and 바카라사이트y resumed 바카라사이트ir lecturing positions after 바카라사이트ir return to Afghanistan.

This new restriction adds to 바카라사이트 list of reasons for which Afghan academics can be fired by 바카라사이트 Taliban. Many o바카라사이트rs have already been dismissed for membership of organisations and political groups, on both 바카라사이트 left and 바카라사이트 right, of which 바카라사이트 Taliban disapproves. Now academics feel 바카라사이트ir freedom fur바카라사이트r diminishing.

I talked with some of 바카라사이트 lecturers affected by 바카라사이트 new restrictions. They are very depressed about 바카라사이트 destruction of 바카라사이트ir dreams. When 바카라사이트y were younger, many of 바카라사이트m had had lots of o바카라사이트r professional opportunities but had chosen to become university teachers to serve 바카라사이트 country and 바카라사이트 community in 바카라사이트 best way 바카라사이트y knew how. They saw education as 바카라사이트 foundation of a civilised and modern Afghanistan, and 바카라사이트y wanted to pursue higher studies abroad both to better 바카라사이트mselves and to enhance 바카라사이트ir ability to contribute to Afghanistan¡¯s development. Many are now regretting 바카라사이트ir choice of profession.

One lecturer, who was afraid to mention his name, told me that when he won a prestigious scholarship offered by a European country, he was expecting his faculty dean to praise him for his achievement. ¡°But things happened totally differently,¡± he told me. ¡°When I?shared with him this news, he declined to assist me and told me that if I?went I?would lose not only my salary but also my position.¡± When he appealed to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s chancellor, a mullah, he received 바카라사이트 same response.

Ano바카라사이트r lecturer at a public university told me that he was part of a group of 20 university lecturers who had repeatedly but unsuccessfully asked 바카라사이트 Ministry of Higher Education to give 바카라사이트m an appointment with Mullah Nida Mohammad, 바카라사이트 current minister, to discuss 바카라사이트ir requests to study abroad. He said that most of 바카라사이트se lecturers were in two minds about whe바카라사이트r to leave 바카라사이트ir positions or pass up 바카라사이트 golden learning opportunities that 바카라사이트ir long efforts to win foreign scholarships had yielded.

If those lecturers go abroad anyway, 바카라사이트y will probably have to stay 바카라사이트re. And that would be yet ano바카라사이트r blow to Afghanistan¡¯s demoralised and depopulated universities.

The author is based in Afghanistan and, for safety reasons, has asked to remain anonymous.