Media Scoop

By Louis Houghton
 Education under attack in Afghanistan

Article published Sep 15 2021, by El Pais (El Pais is a Spanish-language daily newspaper
in Spain)
It is the second most circulated daily newspaper in Spain as of December 2017. El País is
the most read newspaper in Spanish online and one of the Madrid dailies considered to be
a national newspaper of record for Spain
The article focuses on the past fate of education in Afghanistan as well the current state of
education following the Taliban’s occupation of the country. Makes note of the many
bombings and burnings of schools that have occured and the importance of preserving the
gains made in the past 20 years.
Background
Afghanistan also known as ‘The
Graveyard of Empires’
Became a state in the 1880s
Soviet invasion 1979 which led to a 20
year occupation of Afghanistan
Occupation to Taliban Rule
During Taliban rule in 1990s, their rights record was characterized by systematic
violations against women and girls; cruel corporal punishments, including executions as
well secular education was banned and replaced by religious education. (Sharia Law, a 9th
Century Lifestyle)
Officials patrol communities to monitor residents’ adherence to Taliban-prescribed social
codes regarding dress and public deportment, beard length, men’s attendance at Friday
prayers, and use of smartphones or other technological devices
A change in direction
Since 2002, millions of Afghan girls have gone to school and
Afghan women have participated in public life, which includes holding
political office, in greater numbers than ever before in Afghanistan’s history.
The fear of attack is a very threat depending on if a child lives in a city or in a rural
community affects whether or not they school. Although kids have been going to school the
constant threat of reprisal from militant groups keeps roughly 60% of its potential school
bound children out of school
Most recently the former Afghan government made progress in protecting schools and
universities from attack, in part The Safe Schools Declaration in 2015
 Here we are now
In a single month attacks reportedly killed or injured at least 160 female students and
education personnel and damage or destroy at least five girls’ schools.
Aa attack on May 8, 2021, an unidentified armed group detonated a carful of explosives and
two other bombs outside Sayed Shuhada High School, a girls’ school near Kabul, killing at
least 85 civilians and wounding over 240.
Global Education
What does this mean for global education? What did you learn?
‘Global leaders and humanitarian agencies must come together to protect schools,
universities, students and educators, as the Taliban takeover threatens access to safe
learning’
Now is a crucial moment to preserve gains and ensure that all teachers and students, and
particularly girls and women, are spared from the harm or death if we are to truly educated
globally we must also allow those who have a desire to learn do so in a safe and nurturing
environment
Work Cited
MARSTON, JEROME. “Education Under Attack in Afghanistan.” El País, 2021, pp. 1–3,
english.elpais.com/opinion/2021-09-15/education-under-attack-in-afghanistan.html