Wednesday October 5, 2016
Kabul (BNA) Oct 5th coincides with the World Teachers’ Day, a day that has been nominated in this name with the initiative of the UNESCO to attract global public attention to teacher’s role, position and importance in social system. The UNESCO has acknowledged certain commitments on this occasion and organizes specific programs for celebration of this day across the world. The UNESCO has called the goal behind nomination of 5th of Oct as the teacher’s day celebration of teacher’s basic role in qualitative improvement at all levels of education. In a UNESCO report under the title of “Education for all” it has been said that still in some parts of the country, Afghanistan is facing shortage of professional female teachers. Under the new political system of the country, while the doors of thousands schools have been opened throughout the country and multi-million teachers and students have entered education environment, but in reality, the education system of the country particularly the teachers are still facing serious, basic challenges and obstacles. Teachers in our country are among the most hardworking social groups with the least payments. The education system lacks professional teachers.
Large number of teachers lack sufficient professional knowledge. Shortage of professional educational capacity caused decrease of education quality as current corruption in state system is one of the biggest challenges. Existence of imaginary schools and teachers is another greater challenge. The ex-authorities of the MoE were involved in extensive corruption who had submitted unrealistic reports on the number of these schools and teachers. SIGAR has also confirmed these wrong reports and the authorities of the MoE said that investigations have been started and are going on, on this issue and the results were expected to be leaked to media and public. It was also said that in some volatile and insecure areas teachers and students cannot attend schools and share their salaries with administrative sector of education departments and receive half of their real payment. On the other hand due to low salaries most teachers have to resort to second jobs while in neighboring countries, teachers’ lead good life and don’t need to seek second occupation. Some teachers with high quality and education are employed by NGOs with reasonable salaries and they have no time to improve quality of education. The ex-president had promised to distribute pieces of land to teachers to build houses but this issue has remained confusing.
Lailuma Noori
