It’s been a year since the Afghan girls set foot in a classroom. Also, there is no sign the ruling Taliban will allow them back to school. Reportedly, some of them are trying to find ways to keep education from stalling for a generation of young women.
There is no way to fill this gap, and this situation is very sad and concerning
At a house in Kabul, dozens gathered on a recent day for classes in an informal school. It is set up by Sodaba Nazhand. She and her sister teach English, science, and math to girls who should be in secondary school.
“When the Taliban wanted to take away the rights of education and the rights of workers from women, I wanted to stand against their decision by teaching these girls,” Nazhand told The Associated Press.
Hers is one of a number of underground schools in operation since the Taliban took over the country a year ago. After they came in power, it banned girls from continuing their education past the sixth grade. While the Taliban have permitted women to continue attending universities, this exception will become irrelevant when there are no more girls graduating from high schools.
“There is no way to fill this gap, and this situation is very sad and concerning,” Nazhand said.
A survey found that 26% of girls are showing signs of depression
The relief agency Save the Children interviewed nearly 1,700 boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 17 in seven provinces to assess the impact of the education restrictions.
The survey found that more than 45% of girls are not going to school, compared with 20% of boys. It also found that 26% of girls are showing signs of depression, compared with 16% of boys. The results were released on Wednesday.
Nearly the entire population of Afghanistan was thrown into poverty. Millions of people were left unable to feed their families when the world cut off the financing in response to the Taliban takeover.
There has been a devasting collapse of the economy
Teachers, parents, and experts all warn that the country’s multiple crises, including the devastating collapse of the economy. These conditions are proving especially damaging to girls. The Taliban have restricted women’s work. It has rather encouraged them to stay at home and issued dress codes requiring them to cover their faces, except for their eyes. Though the codes are not always enforced.
There is a lot of pressure from the international community on the Taliban to open schools for all girls. Moreover, the U.S. and EU have created plans to pay salaries directly to Afghanistan’s teachers. They are aiming to keep the sector going without putting the funds through the Taliban.
But the question of girls’ education appears to have been tangled in behind-the-scenes differences among the Taliban. Some in the movement support returning girls to school because they see no religious objection to it or because they want to improve ties with the world. On the other hand, rural, tribal elders who make up the backbone of the movement, staunchly oppose it.
Officials have publicly insisted that they will allow teen girls back into school
Officials have publicly insisted that they will allow teen girls back into school, but say time is needed to set up logistics for strict gender segregation to ensure an “Islamic framework.”
Just before the new school year was to begin in March, people were hopeful. The Taliban Education Ministry proclaimed everyone would be allowed back. But on March 23, the day of the reopening, the decision was suddenly reversed. It surprised even ministry officials. It appeared that at the last minute, the Taliban’s supreme leader, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, bowed to the opposition.
