As the new academic year begins alongside Eid celebrations in Afghanistan, a number of female students have once again called on the Islamic Emirate to reopen secondary and high schools for girls.
These students emphasized the importance of education, stating that girls above the sixth grade and female university students should not be deprived of their right to learn.
Nabina, a 10th-grade student, said she spends her days doing housework to avoid falling into depression from being away from school. “A serious decision must be made about schools because this issue is tied to our future and it’s our right. Our Eid wish from the Islamic Emirate is that they urgently make a decision about girls’ schools,” she said.
Sheila, a student, said: “Education is the right of all girls in Afghanistan. A society can only progress when its girls are educated. That’s why we ask the Islamic Emirate to reopen all schools for all girls in Afghanistan.”
Meanwhile, former President Hamid Karzai, in a meeting with Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, described girls’ education as vital for the country’s future.
A statement from Karzai’s office read: “The former president considered girls’ education crucial for Afghanistan’s future and thanked the United Nations for its support in this regard.”
Zakiullah Mohammadi, a university professor, said: “Obstacles to our sisters’ education must be removed as soon as possible. Whatever barriers exist should be eliminated, and the ground should be prepared for secondary and higher education for our sisters in accordance with Islamic Sharia and Afghan culture.”
The 1404 academic year began on the first day of the month of Hamal (March 20), but the fate of girls’ education beyond sixth grade remains uncertain.