The problem and confusion still goes on. Struggles are continuing to neutralize the implication of last month’s civil strikes of sociology faculty student who embarked to eight days long hunger strike, causing half of them to get hospitalized. Many of them were omitting blood and physicians were seriously worried about their health condition. Their demands were f met; the dean, Mr. Farooq Abdual and a lecturer, Mr. Faisal Amin, were deposed. Thereafter series of counter protests commenced in leadership of Kabul Shariah faculty students. They warned to close down the university door and do not open it unless their demands are met. They are asking for formal apology from government, particularly, Mr. President, deposition of Obaidullah Abid and finally reinstate of the dean and the lecturer.

First of all, the contradictory statement and reactions of government officials are confusing. After eight days long hunger strike of students, the security advisor to Mr. President, Dr. Spanta, the former foreign minister, and Mr. Nematullah Shahrani, in presence of Mr. Obaidullah Obaid told students that their demands were met and they need not to continue their hunger strike. When the counter protests started, the ministry of Higher education wrote in its website that the above mentioned figures were not deposed. Later on, some other government officials told that they were not deposed but suspended for a short period to allow a commission to investigate the issue.

If the allegations were right, then they should be suspended and if not should continue on their current positions. So, still it is not clear what is going to happen. Last week, in the ceremony held for inauguration of General University Teachers’ Union told the demands of students were not met. He said that he received complains a month and a half ago but were not followed! His statement proves that students of the faculty before embarking to hunger strike put concerned officials on the picture about discrimination and mismanagement. The question is why Obaidullah Obaid turned a deaf ear to students complain which left them no choice other than putting their own lives at risk.

Secondly, there were accusations that there were foreign hands behind the move otherwise students had to refer the case to legal institutions. The statement of Minister of Higher Education shows that students tried to solve issue but officials never cared about and never took them serious. So, they did try the procedure and finally held a spontaneous civil movement which attracted the attention of Afghan civil activists across the globe.

Another point observed in the ceremony was the disapproval of Mr. Obaid from University teachers. Before the start of his speech, a teacher puttered that they did not approve him as Minister to Ministry of Higher Education openly due to their hidden anger against him, because he was present when the advisors of Mr. President promised students that their demands were met. Even when he commenced his speech, a teacher stood and asked the rest to leave the lecture hall. Some teachers followed him and left the ceremony.  Kabul University teachers have taken inflexible stance. They are saying that disposition of any lecturers or heads of departments are out of the legal authority of government officials instead such decisions should be assigned to a committee of universities teachers.

Such a demand looks very appreciative and acceptable if it becomes clear that who will find way to such a committee. As I wrote in previous articles, there are teachers who have the experience of more

than 20 or 30 years, but their only award is saying that they captured their seat for decades, nothing else. They treat students as if they kings of their own kingdom. “Do you know me? If not ask those who were before you? If you want to pass then study hard my chapters. I have my own rule and do not care about the rest”. These were normally sentences perhaps any students in Afghan public universities hear the most. They try their best to force students to keep their mouth shut and never dare to ask or question the outdated context of those chapters.

So, in such environment, who ensures that such a committee be constituted of qualified teachers who do not discriminate on the basis of language, sex and ethnicity? It is highly possible that such committee will be filled with teachers who have wide connections and have 30 years of experience without giving out an academic research during their entire academic lives. So, the only thing that can bring fundamental change is complete change in academic sphere of Afghanistan. Teachers should be judged on the basis of his or her qualification not on exactly how long they were lecturers. Secondly, the environment should be changed from its current-teacher oriented into a student-oriented environment. Students should be given the chance to express their ideas instead of current humiliating atmosphere. The environment should become sound enough that a student should not fear if he opposes the idea or notion of a teacher and he will not be dismissed or failed without any reason.

The ministry of higher education should check and monitor the curriculum and teaching materials in all universities in order to ensure that after four years students are not be graduated illiterate. The ministry should support students against lecturers who were appointed due to their family linkages and have nothing in their minds to present for students. The eight days long hunger strike of students becomes the bedrock for overwhelming change and reforms in public universities.