The awkward scheme of rationing Kankour (nation-wide entrance exam to public higher education institution) is increasingly becoming serious. During past days, efforts have been made to justify the scheme and pretend that it provides social justice in the country. Because they believe that higher acceptance rate from one province indeed violates the right of students from other ones. The justification is based on disparities among annual rate of students from different provinces who succeed to follow their higher education in public universities.

Last year due to lower seats in public universities, the exam was so competitive and more than two third of students failed to find way to public universities. The result wreaked havoc. Series of demonstrations were held against ministry of higher education. If the government does hold effective steps to solve the problem, the situation will turn terrible in upcoming years. Last year around 170 thousand people took part in Kankour exam and less than 40 thousand of them found way to higher education at first round. In the coming year, it is expected that more than 200 thousand students take part in national wide exam and meanwhile the number of vacant seats will not be more than the current year. As a result, larger number of students graduating from high school stuck behind the doors of public universities. Perhaps, some of them, as were warning last year, will join armed militants.

To solve the problem, the ministry of higher education perhaps with the support of President Karzai has developed an awkward scheme: that is to make quota for each province based on population not on number of students enrolled in schools or annually completing their high schools.

So, the first problem with this scheme is that there is no authentic statistics about population. Presently, Afghan government has no idea about the total population of the country. Same is the case with total population of each districts and provinces. Last year when the Afghan National Central Statistics claimed that according to its demographic survey, the total population was around 380 thousand, it came under severe criticism. Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq, the leader of Hezb-e-Wahdat Mardom Afghanistan, said that the only number of children who received anti-polio with their parents is larger than figure provided by Central Statistics. The Bamyan provincial council also called the claim as political.

In lack of such accurate data about the population, it is highly possible that government provides figures which do not conform to the ground reality. So, it is possible that officials misuse such unauthentic and inaccurate figures and through that provides baseless and arbitrary figures for the number of students to take part in Kankour.  Officials easily can register high figure of population for one province and lesser for the other in order to bring changes in number of students taking part in exam.

Secondly, it is against the constitution. Based on constitution, all Afghans irrespective of sects, sex, religion and language have the right to have access to primary and higher education. And the government is responsible to ensure that they have access to school and university. Thanks to donations, during past years, hundreds of schools are built across the country. In remote areas where people have always been neglected by rulers, due to deep enthusiasm and interest for education, children are getting education under the shadow of trees, tent or if not possible,  under the complete exposure of sunlight.  Meanwhile, people have not lost their hope for a brighter future for their children to accepting all burdens and even cutting down their daily food ration in order to send their children to schools.

All their hope is this that after completing twelfth grade, they get a chance to follow their higher education in public universities. If they come to a conclusion that after completion of high school, their children will not find a chance to follow higher education in pubic university, they will stop sending their children to schools from the very start. Why? Because they understand they are not in a position economically to pay the fee and other expenses of a private university. Certainly, if this draft be passed from the parliament, we will witness a drastic decline of children at primary and secondary education which are compulsory for all children to follow. So, how the government is going to ensure that children will go to primary and secondary schools, which according to constitution, it should do.

So, from this perspective, it will necessarily affect the current acceptable enrollment of children at school. I had mentioned earlier and again want to emphasize that rationing will certainly lead to drastic decline of children in school because their parents are sure that they are not able to pay for their children’s education.

On other hand, the support for the scheme is on basis that it does not violate the right to education, saying that rationing violates the right to education, than Kankour also should not be held, it should said that Kankour is the entrance exam. So, if you do not allow part of the students because they belong to certain provinces, is it not violation of their right? It is similar to exams at schools. If you do not allow part of the students, because they are working and will certainly score higher than rest, have you provided social justice or violated their rights? Let everyone participate in exams and compete with one another, finally if those students who do not study and cannot pass the exam will not come and ask that why he/she did not become the first position holder?

Same should be with Kankour. All should be equally given a chance. Those who worked hard will succeed and those who did not would fail. If by force and talented and qualified students be replaced by someone who hardly can read text of his books, it looks so stupid to call it social justice. It is far suitable to be branded as Talent Cleansing System.