Kabul University was established in 1311, Afghan calendar, which ushered its activities with founding medical department and subsequently many other departments. With founding a myriad of departments, Afghanistan took high step in educational field and laid the cornerstone of the university. In 1325 (1945), a great ceremony was conducted for establishing Kabul University.
Almost a year has elapsed from the establishment of Kabul University with ups and downs. Now the questions are that within such a long period, what are the achievements of this educational institution? Has this University an acceptable record in educational and intellectual arenas? Could this University train the individuals who are able to resolve educational, social, cultural, political, and artistic issues of the society?
It is an undeniable fact that there was not a palpable achievement and the function of our university was not successful enough. Despite the historical record, magnificent structure, and manifold programs and chapters, this university could not bring changes in the life condition of Afghan people. The history of this university is easily inferred from dusty books in its library, obsolete chapters, and traditional teaching methods rather than achievements, progress, or abilities.
In spite of comprehensive changes in educational and scientific fields in modern world, the issue of education in an organized way is still elusive in our universities, including Kabul University, and capable and dynamic individuals are hardly ever employed in government universities. The bulk of lecturers in government universities have Bachelor degree. Subjects are taught in general manner in universities. The graduate students lack basic qualifications and high level knowledge. Unluckily, if this trend continues in our universities, mainly in Kabul University, the decade-old data and information are included in our chapters, and university officials think of no fundamental plan for getting out of this issue, we will encounter a plethora of apparently graduate individuals who would lack enough abilities and skills. For example, although there are literature departments in our universities, our literature is in the moribund. Similarly, we have journalism department, but the verbal literature and preparing news do not meet the standard. We have the departments of English, Chinese, Arabic, French and German, Russian and Turkish literatures, there are still no individuals to be graduated with high qualification. Despite having many students studying in the mentioned literature departments, there still lacks a qualified translator to translate a foreign book into Persian annually. Those who study foreign languages, they learn simple conversations within four years of study. The culture of translation is extremely low and translated books are imported from Iran.
We have the department of Islamic Sharia, however, religious tenets are not taught in appropriate way. Therefore, radical mentality and fundamental mindset grow higher. To name more, we have the department of psychology, but there are not expert psychologists to treat our patients thoroughly. Our universities possess the departments of geology, there are not expert geologists for discovering underground resources, though. There are departments of art, but our art is a disgrace. We have department of agriculture, there is no appropriate agriculture in the country. The same is the case with the departments of engineering, economy, social science, and so on and so forth. None of them have tangible achievements.
Our universities produce documents rather than knowledge or thought. That is to say, students get their documents but knowledge, skill, or expertise is not gained from our universities – where cramming chapters is the ultimate goal. The chapters are deplete from knowledge. On the other hand, our society also moves on the basis of documents and certificates. The criteria for employment is their certificate of knowledge rather than knowledge itself.
Every one wishes that our universities could train skillful and knowledgeable individuals rather than producing educational certificates. In other words, it was highly appreciated if our universities could change the minds and personalities of people rather than their appearance. It is further wished that our universities could train the individuals able to resolve the challenges of the society and heal their wounds. However, the dreams of the public did not come true within this 85 years. The problems are increased rather than being decreased.
Lack of committed and educated individuals is the main reason behind social and educational stagnation in our society. Nowadays, deception and dishonesty put our people in a deep quagmire. Moral turpitude is on rise, administrative corruption continues unabated, and the dragon of ethnocentrism and religious and linguistic strife is being fattened with each passing day. Likewise, economic gaps widen, the flame of fundamentalism ascends, and insensitivity is multiplied. Indeed, we live in a strange society.
In addition to learning knowledge within the past 85 years, it would be highly constructive if we could learn humanity, empathy, morality, manner of living, tolerance, and other such elements that could panacea our challenges. But despite not addressing our fundamental needs of life, our universities did not teach us knowledge, either. So, it is simply said that we had universities and education centers within 85 years but not knowledge or skill.