KABUL, Afghanistan — As final exams approach, girls from sixth grade at primary schools are facing a disheartening reality: without a change in Taliban policy, these may be their last days in school.
The Taliban’s ban on education beyond sixth grade has left many students and their families feeling hopeless about the future.
For Muzhda, 14, these exams might mark the end of her schooling. She had always dreamed of becoming a teacher and now spends her days teaching her younger siblings at home, building imaginary worlds from words and numbers. But as her exams near, so does the worry that her dreams may remain unfulfilled. “I am in sixth grade now, and I feel heartbroken,” she said. “It feels like my dreams have turned into fantasies, and I don’t believe that the school doors will open in the future.”
Waseela, 13, shares the same anxiety as she prepares for her final exams, which are just days away. “There are only 10 days left, and I am studying, but I’m also worried,” she said. “I want to become a doctor and serve my country, standing side by side with my brother, but I know that I won’t be able to go to school next year.”
Families of these students have called on the international community to help restore girls’ basic rights to education. Yalda, whose daughter is in sixth grade, said she had tried to comfort her with promises of private tutoring or online courses. But her daughter’s response struck a painful chord. “She told me, ‘Mother, even if I study online or with a private tutor, those certificates won’t help me achieve my dreams,’” Yalda said. “Her words broke my heart.”
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, they have banned girls from attending school beyond sixth grade and have also prohibited women from attending universities. The United Nations and the U.S. State Department have warned that the Taliban will not gain international recognition unless they uphold the human rights of all Afghans, especially women and girls.
According to UNESCO, 1.4 million Afghan girls have been excluded from education under Taliban rule. The number of students without access to primary education has surged, with 300,000 additional girls being denied schooling in 2024 alone. UNESCO estimates that if the ban remains in place until 2030, over four million more Afghan girls will be deprived of an education.
