Families in Kabul who are raising deaf children speak with growing worry about the severe shortage of specialized educational centers in the city. They say this lack of facilities has denied their children the right to equal education and has stripped them of academic and social opportunities. Many explain that government centers under Taliban control, as well as private institutions, sit far from their neighborhoods or fail to meet basic standards. The few private centers that do operate in Kabul, they add, demand fees so high that most families simply cannot afford them.
In conversations with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, these families stress that the absence of proper schools and standard educational centers has placed their children’s academic and social futures in real danger. They say neglect by institutions under Taliban control has pushed deaf children further to the margins of society and narrowed their chances for growth and social participation. The families warn that denying deaf children access to education causes more than personal harm, as it deepens social and cultural inequality across the community. They believe institutions under Taliban rule must invest seriously in deaf education and create schools that are both standard and accessible.
Sharifa, a mother of two children with hearing impairments, says no specialized educational center exists near her home. She explains that this absence has put her children’s futures at serious risk and has taken away their chance to grow, learn, and take part in society. Sharifa calls for free educational centers and meaningful support for deaf children.
She says, “My sons are 10 years old and very intelligent. They notice everything around them. Their father taught them how to pray using gestures, but they cannot read or write because there is no center where they can be sent. People in society humiliate us and ask what sin we committed to have not one, but two deaf children. Their words hurt us deeply.”
Ahmad, the father of a deaf child in Kabul, says the lack of specialized educational centers has placed his family under constant strain. He explains that his child not only misses out on proper education but also feels isolated because no suitable facilities exist.
Ahmad urges Taliban institutions to guarantee equal education for deaf children by providing trained teachers, sign language instruction, assistive technologies, and a safe learning environment.
He adds, “I have one deaf child. When my other children go to school, he feels deep sadness. In both private and public schools, other children do not accept him, and we have no specialized center to turn to. The absence of standard centers is a real disaster. These children, like all others, have the right to education and should not be ignored.”
Mujib, another family member of a deaf child in Kabul, also voices frustration over the lack of specialized educational centers. He says the few private centers that exist charge extremely high fees, placing them far beyond the reach of poor families.
He explains, “My aunt’s daughter is 17 years old and very intelligent, but she has never received an education. First, there is no proper standard center where families can send their children. Finding even one center is extremely difficult. Second, my aunt’s financial situation does not allow her to send her daughter to a center because private centers charge very high fees.” He adds that when his aunt’s financial situation was better in earlier years, she tried to seek treatment for her child, but none of those efforts brought positive results.
At the same time, some educational centers in Kabul say they offer specialized services for deaf children that can help them learn and eventually integrate into society. These centers acknowledge that they charge high fees and explain that costs vary depending on the services provided and the child’s needs. Officials say deaf children require specialized training before they can enter regular schools.
Nargis Talash, an employee at one such center, says she currently teaches about 20 children with hearing problems. She explains that after treatments such as cochlear implants, hearing aids, and speech therapy, some children can continue their education like other students. She adds that the success of both treatment and learning depends on the level of hearing ability.
She says, “Children with hearing problems come to our center, and through cochlear implantation, some regain part of their hearing. The results vary depending on how severe the hearing loss is. For children with severe or profound hearing loss, hearing aids do not work, and even cochlear implants offer only about a 50 percent chance of success. We also provide speech therapy and other specialized training. When a child’s speech improves, they can study alongside other children.”
Karishma Amiri, another staff member at a treatment center for deaf children, says the center receives many children every day, and that treatment has helped many of them. She notes that the minimum cost of treatment is 20,000 afghanis.
She explains, “Our hospital has been operating for nearly two years. Costs depend on the type of treatment. We charge higher fees for cochlear implantation because the process takes a long time. The minimum fee starts at 20,000 afghanis and can increase beyond that.”
Families in Kabul raise these concerns while remembering earlier promises by the Taliban to expand educational facilities and job opportunities for deaf and blind people.
The Taliban also signed a memorandum of understanding to support the education of deaf graduates. Under this agreement, deaf and blind graduates were supposed to take a special university entrance exam. The memorandum included plans to hire specialized instructors for blind students at universities, activate Braille printing facilities, build dormitories, and provide special transportation. None of these commitments has been carried out so far.
Statistics published on the website of the Technical and Vocational Education Authority under Taliban control show that more than 2,500 deaf students across the country are currently enrolled in vocational training programs at centers run by this authority. According to the Taliban, the authority operates 31 special training centers nationwide where people with hearing and visual disabilities receive education.
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