Education of Hazara in Afghanistan

This chapter focuses on the education of the students from the Hazara ethnic group in Afghanistan. After careful examination of the existing literature and textbooks, it became clear that most of the literature covers the experiences of discrimination and genocide the Hazaras have endured. The history, geography, social studies, and Persian language textbooks published by the Ministry of Education of Afghanistan when the American and European forces were supporting the Afghan government contain very little explanation about the nation’s various ethnic groups and their characteristics. Examples and descriptions of civic education found in the examined textbooks come with explicit instructions and images that would be appropriate in most societies. There are specific Islamic teachings included in civic education reflecting the political realities of Afghanistan. The return of the Taliban to power has meant exclusion of women from society and a reimagining of Afghanistan by the Taliban as an archaic and backward society based on practices that are not democratic or humane.