Returning Home to Afghanistan

After 40 years at Lewis & Clark, Professor of Education Zaher Wahab is “retiring” to work full time in his home country of Afghanistan. He will be working with Kabul University, the American University of Afghanistan, and other entities to train the country’s next generation of leaders in education and public policy.

“I don’t really believe in retirement,” Wahab says. “I want to change the world.”

According to Vern Jones, professor and chair of teacher education—and Wahab’s colleague for 39 years—Wahab has already changed the world for the better.

“His commitment to issues of equity and social justice has driven and highlighted his work both at L&C and in Afghanistan,” Jones said. “I have never worked with a professional who, for over 40 years, has demonstrated his level of drive and passion for continuing to impact society.”

Every year since 2002, Wahab has devoted four months of service to the Afghan
Ministry of Higher Education. He served as senior advisor to the minister of higher education in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2006 and as a visiting researcher-professor in a master’s degree program for teacher education faculty from Afghanistan’s 16 teacher-training colleges from 2007 to 2010.

“I will continue the struggle for a just, sane, free, democratic, humane world,” says Wahab. “That’s what I’m going to do.”