It’s that time of the year again, when children of all ages put away their summer memories and pack their school bags with new notebooks and pens. They’ll receive a Chromebook in homeroom and sit in clean, well-lit classrooms, at laminated desks or tables. For some, it’ll be a new experience, entering kindergarten. Others will enter their last year as seniors, contemplating which college they’ll go to, or maybe a trade school. Now imagine if half those children were told they couldn’t go to school, couldn’t go to college, couldn’t be trained in a trade. What if half of those parents couldn't allow their children from attending school because they faced similar restrictions? This is the state of education for females in Afghanistan. Girls seeking to elevate themselves through education no longer have the right to do so. The de facto Taliban regime waffled on how education was to be delivered to females. First, it was segregated classrooms. That was followed by the elimination …
Education
The Cost of an Education
In Western society, education is often taken for granted. School is part of growing up. Kids look forward to socializing with friends, and taking advantage of a myriad of educational opportunities and extracurricular activities. Buildings are spacious, have running water, windows, heating, and safety features. Classrooms are equipped with the latest technology. Girls and boys have the equal right to learn. After elementary and high school, a college education or trade schools are viable options. It’s something that most parents in the West don’t think about as they wave goodbye to their children riding that yellow school bus in the mornings. But in Afghanistan, this is another matter entirely. Infrastructure to support schools is severely lacking, especially in remote parts of the country. Some schools have been heavily damaged by the ongoing conflict in the country or terrorist attacks. There aren’t enough resources to refurbish damaged schools. Children attend classes in …