Buzkashi is a game that dates itself into Afghan antiquity. The name Buzkashi, literally translated means “goat killing” suggest it was derived from hunting mountain goats by champions on horseback. Today the rider (or team) who is able to pitch a dead calf across a goal line first wins. The game may last as long as a week and is as free-wheeling as the Afghan spirit. Another sport that is enjoyed by millions of Afghan children is kite-running, which involves competing teams that build and “fight” kites for large audiences. Afghans also play a wide variety of sports familiar to Americans, such as soccer and basketball.

The most typical characteristic of Afghan society are the Chai Khanas, or tea houses, which abound everywhere in the country. Often beautifully decorated, the Chai Khanas are the central gathering place for every town and village in Afghanistan. In them, one can enjoy a nourishing Afghan meal, such as palaw, chalaw, kabab, a pot of green or black tea, and just sit and relax in the exotic atmosphere.

The modern educational system was introduced at the end of the nineteenth century by the Afghan government and combined traditional Islamic learning with a modern curriculum. In 1935, education was declared universal, compulsory and free. With its expansion, the secular system came to be regarded as the principle medium for creating a national ideology and emphasized productive skills. By the 1960s, technical education assumed critical importance as a result of Afghanistan’s development drive.

The Afghan educational system is currently experiencing a period of rehabilitation and reconstruction. Twenty years of conflict caused the exodus of many teachers and qualified instructors and caused literacy rates to plummet. Violence throughout the country during the Soviet invasion, the Civil War, and the Taliban period, made the existence of primary and secondary schools near impossible. Schools still existed during these times, but they had little access to resources or qualified professionals.

Today, starting at age seven, children attend six years of primary school, three years of middle school and three years of secondary school. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education provides a specialized curriculum and textbooks that have been developed with the assistance of Afghanistan’s international partners.

Traditional religious schools, found in towns and villages, teach children basic moral values and ritual knowledge through the study of the Koran, the Hadith (Sayings of the Prophet Mohammad), and popular edited religious texts. Herat, Kunduz, Ghazni, Kandahar and Kabul have become important centers for religious scholars.

While higher education also suffered during the 1980s and 90s, the Afghan government is striving to recruit foreign professors, computerize the universities, and train young Afghans to be qualified professionals in today’s competitive market. Currently, there are thirteen universities in Afghanistan educating 40, 000 students (19% women, 81% men), a tenfold increase from the 4,000 enrolled in 2002. American University of Afghanistan, supported by USAID, is opening its doors to Afghanistan and the world.

In recent years, education development has been a focus for international aid. Many organizations, especially UNESCO, ACEM, UNICEF, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank are sponsoring and organizing education initiatives. The Government of Afghanistan similarly views education is the key to the long-term success of the Afghan state.