Tuesday, November 02, 2021
Return to schools soon?
Taliban inspire hope in young girls
One of the most explosive questions since the Taliban came back to power in Afghanistan has been: What role will they allow women and girls to play? So far in September only boys have been allowed back into the classroom. “God willing” that could soon change, says a director in the Ministry of Education.
Afghanistan’s Taliban government is offering older girls the prospect of returning to school soon. “We want to train and we will train – our women and men, boys and girls,” said the Director of External Programs and Aid in the Ministry of Education, Waheedullah Haschimi. God willing, there will soon be a “good announcement for the whole country, the whole nation”.
The religious scholars worked on it and the Taliban campaigned for the education of girls. No teacher has been fired. This is a positive message for the world that a “mechanism” is being worked on. “We’re not working to remove them from our schools and universities.” However, the abrupt stop to foreign aid hit the education sector hard.
Hashimi therefore called for international support to be resumed. “If you really want to see girls in schools, now is the time to help us.” After the international withdrawal of troops began, the Taliban overthrew the West-backed government and took control of the country in August. One of the most sensitive questions since the Islamists returned to power has been what role they will grant women and girls.
Many girls learn in secret
It is feared that they will again be suppressed more strongly and that their rights will be disregarded. In September, the Taliban received harsh criticism around the world for allowing boys to return to the classroom but instructing older girls to stay at home until further notice. In the meantime, girls in northern parts of the country are receiving lessons again, but many still have to learn in secret.
The de facto ban on teaching girls beyond primary school brought back memories of the years 1996 to 2001, when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan once before. Back then, women were largely excluded from paid employment and girls were not allowed to go to school.