Every now and then, I hear someone using the phrase “greatest country in the world.” It’s often an American politician, but I’ve heard it from leaders of other countries as well. I prefer the phrase “one of the great countries in the world,” because there are a number of great countries in the world — and one of them, I’ve concluded, is Scotland.
I am basing my conclusion on irrefutable scientific evidence: I conducted a random survey of people attending the American Pipe Band Championship.
No, what actually convinced me that Scotland is a great country was a BBC article about 19 female medical students who were banned from attending university in Afghanistan. These students recently arrived in Scotland, where they will complete their medical studies.
The Scottish government amended their student funding laws to treat the Afghan students as domestic students, giving them free tuition and cost of living support.
Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, “a generation of Afghan women who had been studying at universities to become doctors, lawyers, teachers and engineers have been stuck at home,” according to the Linda Norgrove Foundation, which was instrumental in getting the medical students to Scotland.
“Gender should not be a barrier to accessing education,” said Scotland’s Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth, who welcomed the students at Edinburgh Airport.
Yes, gender should not be a barrier to accessing education, but try telling that to the man standing at the entrance of Kabul University in Afghanistan.
“Is gender a barrier here?”
“No, I am the only barrier here. My name is not Gender.”
“Do you allow females to enter?”
“Yes, when it is time for cleaning.”
“Can they take classes?”
“No, they are not supposed to take anything. We check their bags when they leave.”
The Taliban, which returned to power in Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021, does not allow girls to attend school past sixth grade. Afghanistan is the only country in the world that restricts female education. This has forced some activists to create secret schools for girls, taking the risk that the Taliban — which loves to use the ‘ban’ in its name — will hear about it.
Abdul: “There is a home on my street where the curtains are always drawn during the day, the lights are on, and I’ve seen girls entering and leaving at different times.”
Hamza: “Do you see any men entering? Is it a house of prostitution? Maybe they’re getting together to do drugs.”
Abdul: “Prostitution and drugs? No, it’s worse than that — they’re getting educated!”
Hamza: “Educated? Oh no, you need to report this immediately. Call 911. It’s an emergency.”
Abdul: “You mean 119. That’s the emergency number.”
Hamza: “Oh yes, 119. I’ve been watching too much Netflix illegally. Ha ha.”
Abdul: “Let me call right now. … Hello.”
Emergency dispatcher: “Hello. What is your emergency please?”
Abdul: “There is a secret school near my home. Girls are getting educated!”
Dispatcher: “Girls are getting educated? Oh no, how horrible. How many girls have contracted knowledge there?”
Abdul: “I don’t know. Maybe 9 or 10. Do you think you can cure them of this knowledge?”
Dispatcher: “We’ll do our best. What is the address?”
Abdul: “It’s the green house, three doors down from Naaz Boutique, just past the large pothole.”
Dispatcher: “Okay, we will send the Banbulance over right away. We will save those girls! Thank you for reporting this. It’s only because of concerned citizens like you that our country is able to keep moving backwards.”
