Can Reeopening Gilr's Schols Solve Afghanistan's Main Problem?

 

Can Reopening Girls’ Schools Solve Afghanistan’s Main Problem?

Afghanistan’s fundamental problem is not closed schools; it is a crisis of political legitimacy

Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan’s former president, who is reportedly under house arrest in Kabul these days, occasionally raises his voice on political and social issues. His statements cannot be compared with those of an ordinary citizen. Karzai was once president of Afghanistan, and he still carries considerable political weight and influence.

A few days ago, he once again called on the Taliban to reopen the doors of schools to Afghan girls. On the surface, this is a positive political message. No society can afford to remain indifferent to the denial of education to girls. But if we define Afghanistan’s problem simply as the closure of girls’ schools, we risk overlooking the country’s larger and more fundamental crisis.

Afghanistan’s problem is not simply that the doors of schools are closed. The deeper problem is a crisis of political legitimacy and the erosion of the country’s capacity to function as a modern state.

A school is not merely a building with classrooms, doors, windows and a courtyard. The Taliban can build more schools and even point to the expansion of educational facilities as evidence of their progress. But constructing school buildings alone does not amount to providing a genuine education.

A school is truly a school when students have access to high-quality, modern education based on a credible and balanced curriculum that prepares them for life in today’s world.

This raises an important question: Can simply increasing the number of schools, without addressing what is taught inside them, pull Afghanistan out of its educational crisis?

The Taliban have placed emphasis not only on schools but also on expanding religious madrasas. Religious education can, of course, be part of any society’s educational system. But if an education system relies predominantly on religious instruction—particularly on a narrow interpretation of religious education—while marginalizing the natural sciences, social sciences, critical thinking, technology and modern knowledge, it cannot be expected to produce the human capital required by a modern state.

The issue is not simply whether girls are allowed to attend school. The deeper question is what girls—and boys—are being taught once they are inside the classroom.

Therefore, even if the Taliban announced tomorrow that girls’ schools would reopen, fundamental questions would remain:

What will be taught? Who will determine the curriculum? Will modern science and knowledge be taught without ideological censorship? Will girls and boys have equal access to quality, science-based education? And are there enough trained and qualified teachers to provide it?

If the answers to these questions are negative, reopening school doors alone cannot solve Afghanistan’s educational crisis.

The crisis is not only about education; Afghanistan is also losing its human capital

Another major problem is the mass exodus of educated and skilled Afghans.

Since the Taliban returned to power, large numbers of educated Afghans, professionals, university professors, doctors, engineers, judges, economists, civil servants and other skilled workers have left the country, and the outflow continues.

This problem may attract less attention than the closure of a school, but in the long run it could be even more damaging to Afghanistan.

A school building can be constructed in a matter of months or a few years. But producing a university professor, doctor, engineer, judge, economist or competent administrator requires years of education and experience.

A country that loses a large portion of its skilled workforce will struggle to govern itself and develop its economy—even if it builds more school buildings.

That is why Afghanistan’s problem is not simply about opening schools. The real question is whether the country can educate and retain a generation of educated, skilled, independent-minded people capable of helping build a modern state.

And this brings us to the central issue: political legitimacy.

Afghanistan today faces a profound crisis of political legitimacy. The Taliban did not come to power through free and competitive elections, and they have so far refused to obtain political legitimacy by appealing to the votes of the Afghan people.

An armed movement has monopolized political power through force and established a system in which the people have no decisive role in choosing their government.

Under such circumstances, reopening girls’ schools, although necessary and positive, does not constitute political reform.

The school doors may be reopened tomorrow. More schools may be built. Some social restrictions may even be eased. But if the people still have no right to choose their government, Afghanistan’s fundamental problem will remain unresolved.

This is where Hamid Karzai’s remarks become particularly relevant.

If Karzai wants to speak for the people of Afghanistan, perhaps he should take his demand one step further. He should not merely ask the Taliban to reopen schools for girls; he should ask them to respect the Afghan people’s right to determine their own political future.

The Taliban must ultimately confront the voice of the Afghan people, not merely respond to pressure from foreign governments.

If one day free, fair and credible elections are held and Afghans are allowed to choose their own government, then reopening girls’ schools, freedom of education, women’s rights, freedom of expression and other civil liberties can become components of a legitimate and accountable political system.

But if a government makes all these decisions from above without consulting the will of the people, reopening a school—even though important—will not solve the country’s fundamental problem.

The central issue is this: The Afghan people must move from being the subjects of government decisions to being the rightful participants in deciding who governs them.

Therefore, Karzai’s message to the Taliban should not simply be:

“Open the doors of schools to girls.”

It should be more direct and more fundamental:

“Respect the voice of the Afghan people. Accept their right to choose their government and allow Afghanistan to have a legitimate, accountable political system based on the will of its people.”

Reopening girls’ schools is a necessity. But political legitimacy is an even more fundamental necessity.

Afghanistan will not be saved simply by opening the doors of schools. The country can build a different future only when its people have not merely the right to go to school, but also the right to choose their political future.

And perhaps this is what Hamid Karzai, given his political history and standing, should be demanding from the Taliban more loudly than anyone else.