KABUL, Afghanistan — Community-based classes in the southern provinces of Uruzgan and Zabul, have been closed ahead of winter holidays, two officials from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) confirmed on Thursday.
The organization acknowledged reports of the early closures but did not provide further details.
The suspensions follow allegations that the Taliban-run Ministry of Education has halted the operations of some educational organizations in Bamiyan, Uruzgan, and Zabul.
In 2023, UNICEF supported 21,355 community-based classes, providing educational opportunities to 686,000 children—60 percent of whom were girls, according to the agency. These programs have been critical in reaching children in remote areas, especially girls who have been excluded from formal schooling.
Two UNICEF officials in Afghanistan, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Amu that the agency is working with the Taliban-led Ministry of Education to assess the situation.
“We want to ensure that no child is harmed by any unmanageable actions,” one official said.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Education has not commented on the reported suspensions.
The closures come amid mounting restrictions on education for girls and women under the Taliban. Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have barred girls beyond grade six from attending school and has prohibited female students from enrolling in universities.
The early suspension of community-based classes raises further concerns about the already precarious state of education in Afghanistan, particularly for girls, who face limited options for continuing their studies.
