Abstract

The Afghan education system during the reign of King Amanullah Khan (1919-1929) witnessed attempts at modernization inspired by Western models. These reforms included the establishment of coeducational schools, sending students abroad, restricting traditional education, and drafting new educational laws, which were met with widespread resistance from clerics and tribal leaders. The aim of this study is to examine the conflict between tradition and modernity in the education system of this period and to analyze the socio-political consequences of this conflict. The main question of the study is how did King Amanullah's efforts to reform the education system affect traditional Afghan society? The research method is descriptive-analytical using historical sources and relevant documents. The findings show that haste in modernization and disregard for the socio-cultural context were the main reasons for the failure of the reforms.The education of girls, the closure of traditional schools, and the sending of students to non-Muslim countries exacerbated tensions. The clerics saw these changes as a threat to their Islamic identity and socio-economic interests. The role of intellectuals such as Tarzi and Queen Soraya in promoting modernity was prominent, but the resistance of traditionalists led to a political crisis that ultimately led to the fall of Amanullah's government.

Keywords:Afghanistan's educational system, Amanullah King, educational reforms,Girls' education, tradition and modernity.