Following criticism of the new plan by the Ministry of Education (MoE) to move first to third-grade classes from schools to mosques, the ministry said on Monday that this will only be implemented in areas with no schools.
A statement of the ministry was edited on Monday hours after it was posted and was met by massive criticism from activists who called the plan a step back in the country’s education system.
An adviser at the ministry said that only the acting minister of education Rangina Hamidi and her close aides know about the details of the plan.
“Do they want to close schools and distance us from knowledge and culture? Do they want to take schools from us? Mosques were ours and will remain ours,” said Abdul Rauf, a resident of Kabul.
“This has no resemblance to the people of Afghanistan and to the international community,” said Abdul Basit, a student.
Over the last week, the acting minister of education has gone to the parliament two times, but she has not mentioned her plan in her speeches to the lawmakers and senators.
Hamidi had not received enough votes from the parliament to confirm her position as a full-fledged minister. While promising to increase the Islamic activity within the curriculum, she said the following about the introduction of technology:
“It is important that teachers should be familiar with computers and tablets before we try to give children and students computers and tablets,” Hamidi said at the parliament last week.
Some sources said that most of employees of the Ministry of Education were informed about the plan from social media after it was posted on Sunday evening.
“It is up to the education minister and her team to discuss the reforms that are about to be brought to the Education Ministry,” said Moahid, an adviser at the ministry.
The Presidential Palace spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said the government is aware of the plan and that it has been misinterpreted.
“They have the plans on hand that are only for strengthening the curriculum,” Sediqqi said.
Rangina Hamidi was rejected by the parliament as she could not get a vote of confidence last week.
Some lawmakers said that based on the law, acting ministers who are rejected by the parliament cannot continue their job as caretakers.
“This is an illogical decision. As a representative of the people, we will never accept the decision by the ministry,” said Tawfiq Wahdat, an MP.
“They should review this decision as soon as possible. This is an oppression to the rights of the children of this country,” said Sayed Hassan Paktiawal, an MP.
This comes as-- according to government figures--there are over 9 million students enrolled in public and private schools and over 3.5 million of them are girls.