One of the 270 schools that received Danish support and was featured in the documentary is Qarghan Thipa, where teaching is fully dictated by the Taliban. Despite the fact that the school is located in a government-controlled area, the agenda is largely set by the terrorist organization, which among other things opposes female education. The UN estimates that the Taliban control or have significant influence in half of Afghanistan.
"Those people simply give us the curriculum in accordance to their principles," headmaster Noor Mohammed told Danish Radio.
Foreign Minister Kristan Jensen, who is ultimately responsible for Danish assistance to Afghanistan, wrote in an email to Danish Radio, that he was well aware of the problem with the so-called "ghost students."
"We take this problem very seriously, and we will take action if we suspect corruption or misuse of Danish funds," he wrote.
"On the one hand, I think it is enormously important that we in Denmark assist and ensure that [Afghan] children go to school, particularly girls. But on the other hand, we cannot accept being cheated of our own money and the Taliban dictate the curriculum," Naser Khader told Danish Radio.