Afghanistan: Taliban to stop involvement of international organisations in education projects: Report
Afghanistan/June 21, 2023/By: Moohita Kaur Garg/Source: https://www.wionews.com/
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is holding discussions with Afghanistan rulers, the Taliban regarding the “timelines and practicalities” of a potential handover of its education programs to local organisations. As per UNICEF, it has received assurances from the education ministry that community-based classes, which educate 500,000 students, would continue while these discussions took place.
Participation of international organisations in education
As per Reuters, aid officials say that the Taliban has indicated that international organisations could no longer be involved in education projects. The move which has been criticised by UNICEF is yet to be officially confirmed by Afghan authorities.
Speaking to Reuters, UNICEF’s Afghanistan spokesperson, Samantha Mort expressed appreciation for the commitment from the de facto minister to ensure classes continue during discussions.
“As the lead agency for the education cluster in Afghanistan, UNICEF is engaged in constructive discussions with the de facto Ministry of Education and appreciates the commitment from the de facto minister to keep all … classes continuing while discussions take place about timelines and practicalities,” said Mort.
She emphasised that “In order to minimise disruption to children’s learning, it is imperative that any handover to national NGOs is done strategically and includes comprehensive assessment and capacity building.”
The Ministry of Education has not publicly confirmed the reported policy change.
Taliban and Education in Afghanistan
Since assuming power in 2021, the Taliban has closed most secondary schools for girls, prevented female students from attending universities, and restricted the participation of Afghan women in aid groups and the United Nations. This has apparently been done in adherence to their strict interpretation of Islamic law.
The Taliban’s rapid and unexpected takeover of Afghanistan after a 20-year insurgency against US-led forces has created significant challenges and uncertainties for Afghanistan’s education system.
For long, international organisations have played a significant role in education projects in Afghanistan. UNICEF currently operates numerous community-based classes, including those catering to 300,000 girls, often held in rural homes.
As per Reuters, UNICEF reached an agreement with the Taliban to operate community classes before their takeover. However, this month, two “humanitarian sources” informed the news agency that aid agencies had been informed that provincial authorities were directed to exclude international organisations from education projects. This could possibly happen within a few weeks.
The move, if implemented, can be a significant setback. A United Nations spokesperson in New York described the move as a “horrendous step backwards.”
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