Making an appeal to the Taliban on the eve of 1402 New Year of the Persian solar Hijri calendar, some school girls in the southern Kandahar province called on the group to open schools for girls in new year. They complained the closure of girls’ schools for the last two years, saying that it was now the time to reopen these schools.
Sahela Azizi, a student of Zarghoona Agha girls school, complained that the international community have also turned a blind eye on the Afghan girls. “We will go to Pakistan or Iran, if we are not allowed to go to school. I want to become a doctor. Every girl has her own dreams in Afghanistan just like me. I’m now very disappointed because I was confined to home for the last two years and even have no book to read,” she said.
Asma Sadat, a student of Ayno Number 2 High School, said that she tried hard to finish her school studies as a first position holder of her class but the Taliban’s edicts have made it very hard for her to reach her dreams. Additionally, she complained, her mother has also lost her job at a health organization as a result of the Taliban edict and their family is now facing economic problems too.
“We observe this hijab and have proved our competency. Still, we are deprived of education. The Taliban leaders must hear our voices and let us to learn and work in 1402 [year],” Asma asserted, calling on other girls in Kandahar to join them in amplifying the voice for reopening girls schools.
Women and girls are now and once again effectively banned from education and work all across Afghanistan as part of the Taliban’s official policy. Issuing official letters, the group’s authorities banned secondary education for girls in March 2022 and tertiary education for women in December of the same year.
Though the Taliban authorities mentioned these bans were effective until “further notice”, there is no development in reversing these bans despite efforts and repeated calls by the international community, and specifically by the Islamic world.
