The school year in Afghanistan commenced on Wednesday, but the ongoing ban imposed by the Taliban has once again prevented girls from attending classes beyond the sixth grade, marking the country as the only one with such restrictions on female education.
According to the UN Children’s agency, over 1 million girls are affected by this ban, exacerbating an already dire situation where 5 million children were out of school before the Taliban takeover due to various reasons, including insufficient facilities.
The Taliban's education ministry initiated the new academic year with a ceremony from which female journalists were excluded. The invitations explicitly stated that female reporters were not accommodated due to the lack of suitable arrangements.
During the ceremony, the Taliban’s Education Minister, Habibullah Agha, emphasized the ministry's efforts to enhance the quality of education in religious and modern sciences. The Taliban's focus has shifted towards Islamic knowledge over basic literacy and numeracy, evident in their emphasis on religious schools or madrassas.
The minister also urged students to adhere to clothing that aligns with Islamic and Afghan principles.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister, claimed that efforts were underway to expand education in remote areas across the country.
Despite previous assurances of allowing girls to return to school under certain conditions, the Taliban have made no progress in implementing these conditions, citing their strict interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia, which historically led to the ban on girls' education during their previous rule in the 1990s.
Despite initial promises of a more moderate rule, the Taliban have imposed harsh measures, including barring women from higher education, public spaces, and most jobs, following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces in 2021.
The continued ban on girls' education remains a significant obstacle for the Taliban in gaining international recognition as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan.
Human Rights Watch has criticized the Taliban's educational policies, describing them as "abusive" and harmful to both boys and girls. According to a report published by the group in December, the Taliban's policies have led to a decline in attendance, as qualified teachers, including women, left the educational system, and regressive curriculum changes and increased corporal punishment were implemented.
