It has been several months that entrance exam was taken by more than hundred of thousand students from across the country who just graduated from high school during last three years, remained behind the higher education institutions' doors whatever the reason behind, and almost a month since the announcement of the result, yet discussions and arguments have not come into an end. Rather Kankor (entrance exam) has become an issue, behind which, politicians have lined up in order to fish better from its already dusty pool. The situation has become much complicated after seemingly vague steps by ministry of higher education.

The capacity of ministry of higher education is one of the critical issues that constantly come under severe criticism. Though it is clear that all those who complete high school may not necessarily enter to higher education institutions, it is very common and normal process across the world seeing percentage of students completing higher school studies remain out of the higher education institutions. Indeed, Kankor is a very common sifter to categorize students on the basis of their talents and achievements.

Here too, it looks unreasonable to blame ministry of higher education for failure of all students to enter to public universities. Naturally, those students will be accepted who worked hard and prepared well for the entrance exam. But what makes education experts as well as civil and political activists to voice out criticism is this that the percentage of students remain behind higher education door is too high which denotes that something is wrong with educational system or the ministry of higher education.

Since 2001, the number of students annually graduating from high school has moved on the quite convenient growth track. Annually, more than thousands increase in number of students taking part in entrance exam. Last year, around 150 thousand students participated in Kankor exam.

But unfortunately, their succession in entering to public higher education has not followed the same course. From 150 thousand who participated in Kankor, only around 40 thousands succeeded to join public higher education.

The rest, more than one hundred thousand of them, remained out with painful sighs or far dangerous social and psychological problems. The worst incident recorded in Kankor result was the unfortunate suicide of a girl in Jaghori district, Ghazni province.

There a girl, who used to study in one popular famous private school and, reportedly, was too talented, having third, second and first positions in her school record, hanged up herself after hearing that she failed once again to join public university. Last year, she also failed to score enough to join her favorite course.

So, on the basis of my sketchy mathematical calculation, only 28.57 percent of students who participated in Kankor last year succeed to join higher education. And 71.42 percent of students whether should go to private higher education or prepare for the 1391 annual entrance exam.

The failure of students to such extent, for countries like Afghanistan, is indeed horrific. It was not a big deal if the Afghan families had good economic standing.

Most of these students completed schools with gruesomely economic miseries. Their families tolerate cruel poverty in order to allow their children to study, hoping that one day their children get job and solve their economic problem. Here the chances are too limited. For many, the first try is the first and last one—succeed or live forever with nostalgia of getting higher education.

Though private higher education institution have developed well during past ten years, some of which surpassed even the Kabul Central university in several fields, and also the number their students have increased tremendously, but just put glimpse to their background, the share of poorer students can be understood.

For instance, during day, the classes of private higher educational institutions are almost empty. Majority of their students are studying in the evening shift. Why?
The answer is clear. During day, they are busy, working somewhere. Means they have job and can provide their education expenses. While, 147 thousands took part in entrance exam last year, over 90 percent of them selected day time courses. Their only hope was studying in their favorite faculties without payment.

Some of them do not have the second chance to take part in Kankor, and due to economic problem, just forget all about studies and join hundreds of thousands of manual workers. There is no authentic report in this case, but glancing at the records of Kankor participants, fresh graduated students and those who try for the second and third time, it becomes obvious that large numbers of students who failed in the first round of entrance exam do not try for the second and third times, perhaps, due to economic problem and disappointments.

A friend of mine who during four consecutive years got first positions participated in 1389 Kankor, but failed. The result was as unexpected for him that he could not deal with trauma in months after the announcement. Finally, he left and did not take part in last year's Kankor.

Another problem is the way that ministry of higher education deals with the process. It previously announced that it has the capacity to welcome only around 40 thousand students in higher education institutions. After the announcement of the result, officials of the ministry claim 80 thousand students who failed would be introduced to semi-higher education.

This process is completely blurred and vague. Only few months ago, it did not have the capacity to accept more than 40 thousand students. So, how it found required capacity within a few months to greet more than hundred thousand students in higher as well as semi-higher education.

on the possibility that the ministry of higher education, some argues in favor, hereafter deals only with the issues of higher education, not with semi-higher ones. If that is the case, then there should be another entrance exam for students want to join semi-higher education.

Otherwise, this process—holding Kankor for higher education and then introducing those who fail for semi-higher—is completely troubling and will lead to corruption. Those will be introduced who have linkage with the ministry and those who deserve might not acquire their due right. This is the problem that should be noticed; otherwise, in the long-term, it may damage the transparent way of getting higher education.