Taliban MoU with department of Helmand on education

Country/entity
Afghanistan
Region
Europe and Eurasia
Agreement name
Taliban MoU with department of Helmand on education
Date
14 Feb 2018
Agreement status
Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement
Yes
Agreement/conflict level
Intrastate/local conflict
Stage
Other
Conflict nature
Other
Peace process
Afghanistan Islamic-Emirates-intra-Afghan
Parties
- Taliban Representative of Education Commission of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

- Education Representative of Helmand Province

(see original language document for signatories)
Third parties
-
Description
A ten point agreement advocating for the importance of education, schools and religious centres as national assets. The agreement provides for further development and reconstruction of schools and religious centres and sets out district level monitoring mechanisms to ensure schools reopen and are protected. The agreement also provides for delivery of educational materials and establishes punitive measures for civilian or military officials who obstruct the programme, as well as measures to freeze salaries of teachers or headteachers who do not carry out their duties.

Local agreement properties

Process type
Informal but persistent process
Rationale
There appears to have been a practice of local agreement-making in Helmand, as described by Cavendish (2018).
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?
No
Link to national process: articulated rationale
The agreement does not link to other agreements nor does it reference a process.
Name of Locale
Helmand
Nature of Locale
Region
GPS Lat/Long (DD)
31.363647, 63.958611
Participant type
Central state actor
Local armed group
Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
Regional state actor
Mediator, facilitator or similar
No mention of mediator or similar

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)

No specific mention.

Grievance List

No specific mention.

Cattle rustling/banditry

No specific mention.

Social cover

No specific mention.

Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan

Education Commission

Representatives of the Education Commission of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the education representative of Helmand Province have come to an agreement on the following points - both sides agree that:

Article 1:

Schools, religious centers, other educational buildings and administrative facilities are assets and national values, and the protection of these assets is the duty of the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan.

The Emirates will work, day and night to develop and promote the importance of teaching and education.

During preaching hours, at mosques, the Imams (Mullah or Head of the Mosque) will be responsible for highlighting the importance of education.

Article 2:

The Education Directorate should dispatch inspectors, supervisors and other educational officials to the relevant districts;

the Emirates is obligated to protect them.

Article 3:

Regional and central staff and officials of the Ministry of Education can confidently travel and monitor the areas under the control of the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan, but representatives traveling from the capital should inform the relevant local [educational] authorities before they travel.

Article 4:

The Ministry of Education and its departments can carry out any construction work related to schools or religious centers and no military or non-military members of the Islamic Emirates will interfere.

Article 5:

The Ministry of Education staff will start reopening closed schools and Islamic centers from today.

Any civilian or military official that tries to obstruct this process will be identified and punished according to the Sharia law (Islamic Law).

Article 6:

Local [education] authorities are responsible for establishing additional centers or classes in areas where people do not have access to education.

Article 7:

The Emirates assures you that all the seized properties of the Ministry of Education will be liberated from usurpers and given back to you.

However, the Ministry representatives must [in advance] prepare and bring the original and certified blueprints (maps) of the properties.

Article 8:

All Textbooks, stationary and other aid packages for schools and religious centers that are provided by partner organizations will be responsibly delivered.

The Emirates should be notified immediately should any problem arises in this regard.

Article 9:

The parties will convene regular management meetings to address all the problems and obstacles of education, and the representatives of education can share their feelings and problems without any worry or fear.

Article 10:

Teachers/headteachers and managers who do not come to work due to negligence, will be marked as absent and their salaries will be deducted so that we can make them adhere to their duties.

The above ten points are approved and enforced after much discussion and each party will execute them with complete sincerity.

*Signatures not legible*