Why were most Hazaras illiterate?

• A. Because they were forbidden to attend school by the government.
• B. Because they were looked down upon in society and education for servants wasn't deemed important.
• C. Because they preferred learning trades over reading.
• D. Because literacy rates were high among Hazaras.

Answer: (B)

This question tests how social inequality and discrimination shape access to education for a marginalized group. Hazaras in Afghanistan faced long-standing prejudice and were often pushed into low-status, servile roles. Because society treated them as inferior, education for people in servant roles wasn’t considered important or a priority by families or communities. Schools, resources, and opportunities were scarce in Hazara areas, and economic pressures often forced families to focus on work rather than schooling. All of this together led to widespread illiteracy.

The other ideas don’t fit the historical pattern: there wasn’t a universal government ban that kept Hazaras from attending school; nor is there evidence that the community inherently preferred trades over reading; and the notion that literacy rates were high among Hazaras contradicts the lived reality of systemic exclusion and limited access to education.