As the third consecutive academic year begins without the inclusion of female students above sixth grade, calls for the Taliban to remove their stringent restrictions on women’s education have intensified.
The Taliban commenced a new academic year on Wednesday, yet continued to bar female students above grade six from attending classes. Female students interviewed by Amu questioned the Taliban’s refusal to reopen schools for them, highlighting the ongoing ban on female education.
“One of my daughters was in grade 11, facing an uncertain future, while another was in grade 10. I urge the Taliban government to allow girls to study, continue their education, and set their life goals,” said a mother whose children have been denied schooling.
A factory head and mother voiced her frustration over the denial of education to her daughters by the Taliban. “We learn tailoring and produce products, but we lack formal education; we need to learn economic education,” she said.
Meanwhile, Vedant Patel, the U.S. Department of State’s deputy spokesman, emphasized that girls should never have been denied education. “We continue to have a number of tools at our disposal, and we have been clear that girls should never have been blocked from going to school in the first place. Advancing respect for the rights of Afghan women and girls is critical to U.S. efforts in Afghanistan,” Patel stated.
Amnesty International labeled the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education as “unjustifiable and a violation of the fundamental human right to education” in a statement on X. “The Taliban must allow girls of all ages to attend school and stop using cynical pretexts to further its discriminatory agenda,” Amnesty International declared.
This outcry comes as female students above sixth grade also express concerns over their uncertain futures. “The government said the schools would be closed until further notice… it has been four years since we are facing an uncertain destiny. I request the government to reopen the schools for female students,” a student remarked.
The Taliban’s conflicting statements regarding female education have sparked widespread concern both within Afghanistan and internationally. The restrictions on girls’ education continue to draw significant scrutiny from around the globe.
