Kabul: On March 20th, Afghanistan marked the start of a new academic year. However, this milestone was marred by the continued exclusion of girls from secondary education. For the third year running, the Taliban has barred girls from attending classes beyond the sixth grade.
On Wednesday morning, uniformed boys carried black and white Taliban flags as they lined the entrance of Kabul’s Amani school, where local officials arrived for the ceremonial start of the school year.
Online classes have sprung up in response to restrictions but a dearth of computers and internet, as well as the isolation of learning via screen, makes them a poor substitute for in-person learning, students and teachers say.
At the ceremony, Taliban government Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi praised education, saying, “A nation without education will always be dependent on others”, local media reported.
Universities also recently started the new academic year, but women have been blocked from attending since December 2022.
Under the Taliban authorities, women have been excluded from many spheres of public life. Beauty salons have been shuttered and women have been barred from parks, funfairs and gyms.
This policy has devastating consequences. The United Nations estimates that over 1 million Afghan girls are directly affected by the ban. Education is not just about acquiring knowledge; it’s about opportunity. Without access to secondary education, these girls are denied the chance to pursue higher studies and careers. This not only limits their personal growth but also hinders Afghanistan’s overall development.
The Taliban justifies the ban with interpretations of Islamic law. However, critics point out that this is a political decision, not a religious one. The Taliban’s education ministry prioritizes religious studies over core subjects like literacy and numeracy. They’ve even restricted female journalists from covering educational events.
The international community has condemned the ban, calling it “gender apartheid.” There have been attempts to negotiate with the Taliban, but so far, these efforts have been unsuccessful.
The hope for Afghan girls rests on continued pressure from the world and the unwavering spirit of those who believe in education for all. Their thirst for knowledge cannot be extinguished by a policy.
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