"Expansion of All-Girl Islamic Schools Unveiled in Afghanistan: Critics Question Relevance of the Curriculum"
In the heart of Kabul, a 23-year-old woman named Nargis is teaching 45 female students secretly every morning, defying the Taliban's ban on girls' education. This ban, implemented since 2022, has made Afghanistan the only country in the world with such a policy as of 2025, restricting girls to primary education (up to 6th grade) and banning secondary and higher education outright [1][2].
Nargis, herself a beneficiary of a US-funded educational program, now questions the purpose of her education in the Taliban's Afghanistan. Women are restricted from working in most public spaces and cannot mix with unrelated men. Nargis's younger sisters, aged 11 and 12, were also prohibited from attending school by the Taliban [1].
The Taliban's school curriculum promotes violence, opposes the culture of tolerance, peace, reconciliation, and human rights values. In response, many girls and women have sought education exclusively through religious madrassas focusing on Quranic teachings, or through informal online courses run by voluntary groups [1][3].
However, these alternative educational efforts lack funding, resources, and widespread recognition, limiting the scope and quality of education available. The ban restricts women’s economic mobility, curtails their roles in society, and risks long-term socio-economic harm for Afghanistan by excluding half the population from contributing fully [4].
The Taliban has closed down all non-religious schools, universities, and healthcare training centers for girls. The International Criminal Court sought arrest warrants for two of the top Taliban leaders, citing the persecution of women and girls as evidence of crimes against humanity [1].
Despite this, the Taliban's fundamentalist wing seems to be winning, with the original promise of a temporary suspension of female education now a distant memory. Nargis feels despair about her future prospects in the Taliban's Afghanistan and questions the point of her education [1].
This policy has isolated Afghanistan diplomatically and academically, with calls for the Taliban to reverse these restrictions consistently ignored or postponed [2][4]. Despite some provincial exceptions, the overall environment remains highly restrictive for female education and empowerment [2].
In a world where education is a fundamental right, the Taliban's ban on girls' education in Afghanistan is a significant setback. The future of these girls hangs in the balance, and their potential contributions to society remain unrealised. The international community must continue to pressure the Taliban to reverse this policy and allow girls the opportunity to pursue their dreams and build a better future for themselves and their country.
References:
[1] BBC News. (2022). Taliban bans girls from secondary school in Afghanistan. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62376849
[2] Human Rights Watch. (2022). Afghanistan: Taliban Must Immediately Allow Girls to Attend Secondary School. [online] Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/11/15/afghanistan-taliban-must-immediately-allow-girls-attend-secondary-school
[3] UNICEF. (2022). Afghanistan: Girls' Education Under Threat. [online] Available at: https://www.unicef.org/afghanistan/63702_106813.html
[4] Amnesty International. (2022). Afghanistan: Taliban must lift ban on girls' education. [online] Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/08/afghanistan-taliban-must-lift-ban-on-girls-education/
- Nargis, a resident of Asia, faces challenges in her pursuit of education in the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, which has been the only world region with such a policy since 2022, restricting girls to primary education only.
- The lack of quality education for women in Afghanistan is evident not only in formal educational institutions but also in alternative education channels such as religious madrassas and online courses, due to funding and resource shortages.
- The Taliban's education policy not only curbs women's economic mobility but also undermines women's health and wellness, as well as their roles in society, posing long-term socio-economic harm for the region.
- The world community, advocating for education as a fundamental right, has been consistently urging the Taliban to reverse the ban on girls' education, recognizing the potential impact of these restrictions on general news, education and self-development, and women's health in particular.
