The Taliban announced it will shut down teacher training centers throughout the country, leaving 4,000 Afghan professionals running the centers without jobs. Historically, a majority of trainees and aspiring teachers at teacher training centers were women until the Taliban took control of the government. Many of them have been subjected to a ban by the Taliban for nearly two years.
According to a letter from the Ministry of Education of Afghanistan, higher teacher training centers have been removed from the Ministry of Education’s organizational structure, deemed “ineffective” and “unnecessary” by the Taliban. This guideline was approved by Taliban directorates and will take effect in Kabul and other provinces.
According to the Taliban letter, staff members will be appointed to open positions in the Taliban’s religious schools, madrassas, and seminaries, Darul-Uloom.
The Taliban has resumed the implementation of religious learning institutions in several provinces across the country. Hundreds of schools are turned into seminaries which in addition to teaching religious studies, have been used as centers brainwashing the young generation.
Political activists express uneasiness that the increase and prevalence of seminaries – madrassas would fuel hatred and extremism among youth and would deprive them of any modern education. While religious education is not always negative, these institutions follow the Taliban’s interpretation of religious text and mindset that focuses on war, killing, violence, and hate.
Instructors of the teacher training centers shared concerns over this decision. “An administration of the Ministry of Education, a backbone of the society, has been demolished,” said Hamid Ahmadzada, an instructor of Parwan Darul-Mualimeen – teacher training center in Parwan, near Kabul.
This creates an uncertain future for academic figures in the country and for education itself. Fahrad Ibrar, a university instructor called the decision “unwise” and explained, “we will face a shortage of teachers in the future.”
In total, there are nearly 50 teacher training centers and nearly 200 supporting training centers of teachers and public servants. An overwhelming majority of the trainees or aspiring teachers have been women.
Sources:
Tolonew 07/12/2023; Khaam Press 07/13/2023;
