Education In Afghanistan Essay

Education in Afghanistan did not start as a formal system. Originally children were educated privately. Their learning took place in religious locations, in homes and regal courts (Zoy, 2009, p. 18). In 1923, the first Afghan Constitution was created. At this time, education was recognized as the right of all Afghan nationals. However, the growth and development of the education system by the Afghan government really started in 1950s-60s. The government was attempting to build a national identity through education. Political ideology was promoted throughout the education system and textbooks.

“In 2002, Afghanistan launched a campaign called, “Back to School” (Trani, Jean-Francois, Bakhshi, P. and Nandipati, A., 2012, p. 346). Article

Afghanistan has a long history of conflict. Over the past 20 years, the capital city of Kabul has seen some of the most violent fighting. For years, the education system has been manipulated for political purposes. Many parts of Afghanistan are still affected by conflict and war. “Threats from insurgents have resulted in the closing of more than 700 schools depriving more than 300,000 students from access to schooling” (Miriam et al., 2009, p. 22). Parents often keep their children home from school because they fear for their safety. “Every single day, Afghan children are killed or disabled on their way to school” (Miriam et al., 2009, p.

9). In 2008, Afghanistan started the development of an inclusive education system (Miriam et al., 2009, p. 9). There currently is not a government support system in place to address the needs of children with disabilities or other special educational needs in Afghanistan. Services vary in quality and are very limited in geographical reach.

Conclusion/Summary on how the above influences the country’s special education services

For political, social and cultural reasons, the pace of developing an equitable educational system has been slow in Afghanistan. Children, who are affected by conflict and political strife, are the ones most likely to be deprived of adequate education. The Afghan government has not been very successful in providing an equal education for all children. A large number of children still do not have access to education. Children with disabilities have very few opportunities. They remain excluded from the education system (Miriam et al., 2009, p. 7). The need for education is greater than the existing and available resources (Zoy, 2009, p. 11). Lack of security and social injustice; lack of physical accessibility; inadequate resources; parents’ low expectations; negative attitudes; socio- cultural barriers; are all reasons