Despite incredible odds, Habib-ur-Rahman grew up as an Afghan refugee in Pakistan and has carved out a successful career as a teacher, helping children gain access to education. He now works with the Aga Khan Development Network in Kabul to improve the education system.

I was born in 1961 and grew up in Mastikhyl village, Surkhroad district of Ningarhar province, in eastern Afghanistan. I am the fifth child of the family and studied in the local village school. I learned religious subjects in the mosque and I helped teach the younger children of my village, which is how my interest in teaching started. I was in first grade when my father passed away and shortly after, my mother also died. The burden of family support was put on the shoulders of my aunt, who was a farmer and had little education. Helping my aunt on the farm and studying in school was my routine until I was almost 20 years old.

I could not finish my higher studies. I was studying engineering at the University of Ningarhar for two years, but due to the security situation in 1980, we fled the country and became refugees in Pakistan. I started teaching there and completed my studies at the same time. I was teaching in the morning and in the afternoon I studied at the Teacher Training Institute (TTI) supported by the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

Shortly after I graduated from the TTI, I was first assigned as a teacher trainer and then as an education officer by Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC). I returned to Afghanistan to work in the province of Ghazni while my family remained in Peshawar, Pakistan. After working with NAC for seven years I joined the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) and worked as a Primary Education Advisor (PEA) for five years.

Throughout the years I have been involved in improving the quality of education through conducting workshops, seminars and working together with the teachers in the schools and helping with head teachers for the school’s management and school planning.

As Primary Education Advisor, I had the following responsibilities: education planning and budgeting; assessment and evaluation; and revision of the curriculum and syllabus of primary schools textbooks. Since October 2002, when I joined the Aga Khan Development Network, I have been leading the in-service teacher training and working with the principles and teachers of the Teacher Training Collages in some of the remotest areas of Afghanistan.

My future plans include moving my family from Pakistan to Afghanistan, and I wish to continue working with the education staff of remote and underprivileged school staff. The involvement of teachers, students, parents and communities in education is a priority for my future activities.