I Agree, More Schools not Troops
People often see education as a panacea to fix all social problems. And this can be a problem, because people expect schools to do things they cannot, like fix broken homes or solve the childhood obesity problem in the United States. But I think Nicholas Kristof is on to something with this article. I haven’t yet read Greg Mortenson’s book he mentions about building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time. But I’d like to. And I’d like to support education efforts, like the work being done by the Afghan Institute of Learning. And I wish we all would push for schools instead of, or even in addition to, sending more troops to Afghanistan. Because schools are much more likely, long term, to make a real difference. We know from research that more educated women pass on the education to their children, and as Kristof says in the article, women’s literacy hovers around 3% in some of the most unstable parts of Pakistan.
Education is not a quick fix, but I think funding schools, and local people to work in them, is much more likely to promote stability in Afghanistan long-term. What do you think? Do you know of any good organizations doing work promoting education in Afghanistan (or anywhere else)? How about organizations that work with the local people in exemplary ways around educational issues?
Tags: afghanistan, children, pakistan, schools
November 4th, 2009 at 6:17 am
Willow, I too have been wanting to read Three Cups of Tea. Let’s read it and discuss.
My mom and I were talking about literacy recently too–in regard to babies–and she said illiteracy is often though of as lacking the ability to read but it is actually a failure to believe anything of value could be stored on a piece of paper. This has inspired me further with reading to Josephine. Books are games, worlds, a road to equality….
November 4th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
I love the idea of reading Three Cups of Tea together Jerusha, let’s do it!
November 6th, 2009 at 6:33 am
I just have to say Three Cups of Tea is one of the most incredible reads I have ever read. Of course now I would like to read an update since more havoc has come to the region that this book is set in. But while I agree education is not a fix all, IT IS part of the puzzle.
November 6th, 2009 at 11:23 am
I want to read it too! Can we wait until December? 😀