Security and Literacy: Improving and Intertwined in Afghanistan

By LCDR Bert Hornyak, USN

Executive Assistant — Trip Coordinator to Supreme Allied Commander Europe/ Commander US European Command SHAPE, Belgium

 

I just attended literacy training – in Wardak Province, Afghanistan.

The class was full of Afghan National Police recruits. It is part of the ongoing effort to increase literacy in the Afghan Security Forces, led by the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan and US Army Lieutenant General Bill Caldwell. The visit was the capstone event in a three day trip to Kabul, Kandahar, and Wardak.

Overall, the trip reinforced my sense that we are making good progress in the security sector. In briefings by the Commanding Generals in the South and East of the country – where most of the security challenges lie – it is clear that they have solid plans, sufficient forces, and are making steady inroads into the insurgency. In the south, for example, there are 20,000 coalition troops; but more importantly, there are over 40,000 Afghan troops.

That 2:1 ratio of Afghan to coalition repeats itself in the east.

This is a big improvement over the past couple of years. It is also the reason that enemy-initiated attacks are down overall around 10% across the country from last year, and much more than that in the south and southwest.

The *fighting season* has clearly been a disappointment to the Taliban who predicted a big upsurge in attacks and casualties, which has not emerged.

More and more operations are Afghan-led and that is a good sign that the transition to Afghan-led security operations is well underway and working.

Today, 25% of the Afghan population is under Afghan lead for security; within a few more months, that will be at 50%, which keeps us on track for a full transition by 2014.

There are certainly challenges in the security sector, including corruption (a “second insurgency” as one shrewd Afghan observer said to me recently).

Also, the ability of the insurgency to move across the porous border with Pakistan presents a serious challenge to our efforts.

But overall, I remain cautiously optimistic about our plan and our progress in the security sector.

On my trip I also visited a hospital and saw the energy in Kandahar city, the second largest population center in Afghanistan. I received good updates on work in the judicial sector from the NATO Rule of Law Support Force. And I met with General John Allen, our superb NATO commander and the deeply experienced US Ambassador, Ryan Crocker. I also met with the Afghan Minister of Defense and lead for Transition, as well as the Chief of the Afghan Armed Forces. They have a clear-eyed view of the challenges ahead and are addressing them in a measured and sensible fashion.

But let me focus for a moment on literacy. The ability to read is limited in large segments of the Afghan population. Why? Because the Taliban largely restricted attendance to school during their period in power. They only allowed 600,000 children to attend school, all of them boys. Today there are 8 million boys and girls in school (40% female), so Afghanistan will “grow their way out” of the problem in another few years.

But today, there is a high demand for literate Afghans in all walks of life for the economy. One way the security forces can recruit for their all-volunteer force is by offering literacy training. So today all Army and Police recruits who cannot read undergo a well-taught course that starts them toward real literacy. The courses are taught by Afghan civilians, and I had the opportunity to spend some time in one of the classrooms.

Two dozen very earnest young men in their early-to-mid twenties sit in a circle around their instructor. He is using traditional methods of teaching.

A white board, calling students to the blackboard to display their skills, books with pictures and letters. The course is fast-paced because the young recruits are hungry to learn. You can see it in their eyes and in the way their books are very thoroughly handled and marked up. The goal is to get everyone up to a 3rd grade level, and to afford downstream opportunities to continue to improve. So far, 200,000 Afghan security force members have been through or are enrolled in the training. This will be a very long lasting contribution to security and stability in Afghanistan.

Outside the classroom, not everything is going well, of course. There will be economic challenge in the next several years as the NATO-led coalition gradually reduces troops numbers and the purchase of goods and services slows in the country. Governance and corruption will present challenges as well. International conferences in Istanbul, Bonn, and the NATO summit in Chicago next spring will need to help address these problems.

But when I look back at where we were in the spring of 2009, two-and-a-half years ago, I can see the progress – especially in the development of the Afghan security forces and the ongoing transition. I visit Afghanistan frequently, and my sense at this moment is that there is indeed hope in the time ahead, along with all the challenges.

Safe travels home.

 

Tags: Afghan National Police, afghanistan, ANP, education, independence, nato, nato training mission, NATO Training Mission Afghanistan, NTM-A, training

Category: Blog - Afghan National Police, Blog - General, Blogs - Blogs