We'd walk for hours just to reach the old, two-storey mud building where we'd learn Englisha language the Taliban consider to be the tongue of traitors and occupiers. In 2013, when I was 15, I graduated from advanced classes and got a job teaching basic English there. More than 400 students attended classes each week.
In February of 2014, I left home for what should have been a short trip to buy books in Kabul. My brother Rohullah woke up as I was leaving. We didn't know it would be years before we'd see each other again.
I boarded a bus at the station. As we crossed onto the highway, two men on motorcycles stopped us. They had long hair, with eyes painted black, robes and guns slung over their shoulders. They ordered me off the bus. One shouted, "Are you the servant of Westerners, teaching English to Muslim children?" The Taliban have intelligence networks in every district; someone must've reported me.
This story is from the September 2024 edition of Maclean's.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2024 edition of Maclean's.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A Teacher's Tale
My career in Quebec ended because I chose to keep my hijab
Top Marks
InSaguenay, Quebec, Ecole de l'Etincelle embodies the school of the future
Modernize Parental Leave
Canada's birth rate is dropping, and the cost of living is partly to blame. A more supportive leave plan would make parenthood more affordable
"I spent years trying to learn English.Now I use ChatGPT."
AI isn't perfect, but it helps me write complex emails and understand Canadian culture
MY PREDICTION - The National School Food Program Will Transform Kids' Health
When students have access to nutritious food, they do better in school and life
FOOD
The exorbitant cost of food will have ripple effects on the restaurant industry and grocery stores. The good news? There's a plan to save the country's salmon supply.
MY PREDICTION - New Mortgage Rules Will Drive Up Housing Prices
Looser lending policies will encourage more people to buy homes they can't afford in the first place
HOUSING
Politicians will spar over how to tackle the housing crisis. Falling interest rates will draw young people into the real estate market. And a rude awakening is coming for homeowners renewing mortgages.
MY PREDICTION - Stuctured Literacy Will Help Level the Educational Playing Field
Canadian students have struggled to read and write. That stops this year.
EDUCATION
Quebec's classrooms will take centre stage in the secularism debate. Chatbots will help students create A-plus work, while others will grade themselves. And thousands of international students will be sent home.
