Using NewsHour Extra Feature Stories

Overview: NewsHour Extra features stories can help students identify and interpret key issues in current events. This activity anticipates one class period, but the follow-up essay might be assigned as homework, or in another period.

Warm Up: Use initiating questions to introduce the topic and find out how much your students know.

Main Activity: Have students read NewsHour Extra's feature story and answer the questions on the reading comprehension handout.

Discussion: Use discussion questions to encourage students to think about how the issues outlined in the story affect their lives and express and debate different opinions.

Follow-up: Students can write an 500-word editorial on the topic expressing their views and send it to NewsHour Extra [extra@newshour.org] for possible publication.

Evaluation: Students are graded on their answers to reading comprehension questions and/or their editorial.

Story: Afghanistan Begins Rebuilding Education System, 8/6/03
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec03/afghan_8-06.html

Initiating Questions:

1. What things are essential for a good school? List and Explain.

2. What would it be like to go to a school in a country with little money to spend on essentials?

Reading Comprehension Questions: (click here for printout)

1. What rules did the Taliban impose during their rule?

Under the repressive regime of the Taliban, the strict Islamic political and religious faction that ruled from 1996 till 2001, girls were not educated, boys' education focused mostly on religion and women were forbidden to work outside the home.

2. What was the impact of these rules?

The results of these restrictions have left the education system in a shambles. UNICEF, the United Nations organization charged with protecting the rights of children, reports that more than 85 percent of the population has never been to school and that many will never receive a proper education.

3. What are some of the problems with the Afghan education system?

According to Afghan education authorities, more than 1.5 million school-age children will not be able to attend classes this year because there are not enough schools or teachers. The schools that do exist often lack electricity, proper sanitation or drinking water. Outdoor classrooms work only as long as the weather remains warm and will close in the winter. Some land surrounding schools has been laced with land mines. Students lack basic supplies such as notebooks, textbooks or pencils.

4. What is the Afghanistan Ministry of Education and other groups trying to do to improve education in the country?

Together, the groups are trying to build or renovate schools, provide books and other supplies and dramatically increase the number of qualified teachers, especially women, through training programs.

5. Why might Afghans not want to be teachers?

Although generally a well-respected profession, teaching remains a low paying one. Teachers often don't make enough money to buy food or pay rent in cities.

 

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1. For many years in Afghanistan, education was denied to women and girls. Is this a unique situation or are there other parts of the world where women and girls are restricted? Research this topic. Why might this happen? What are the arguments for and against such practices?

2. How would you begin to rebuild the education system in Afghanistan if you were in charge? What things are most important? What would you do first? Create a plan and share it with your classmates.

3. How might your school day be different if you were in an Afghan school? Describe what this day might be like. How would your learning be similar or different?

4. Research ways your school could help students in Afghanistan. Could you hold a fundraiser? What else could you do?