The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan has displaced many citizens, leading them to seek refuge in neighboring countries such as Iran and Pakistan, drawn by the proximity and ease of entry. Taliban retaliation against critics and opponents has endangered numerous lives, prompting individuals to avoid Taliban-controlled areas. Iran and Pakistan are the primary destinations for these displaced citizens.
Meanwhile, the Taliban in Afghanistan have enforced a ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade, with little indication of lifting this restriction before their regime concludes. Consequently, some families have opted to leave the country to ensure their daughters’ access to education. However, Afghan migrants in Iran and Pakistan encounter obstacles in accessing education.
Iran has recently permitted Afghan migrants to attend public schools under specific conditions, but such opportunities are not available in Pakistan. Although some schools have been established for Afghan migrants in Pakistan with the assistance of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), accessibility remains limited, leaving many Afghan migrants unable to enroll their children.
As a result, Afghan families, including those in Islamabad, are forced to rely on private schools for their children’s education, but not all families can afford the associated expenses. Additionally, Afghan migrants in Pakistan report that the psychological strain resulting from the government’s collapse, uncertainty about their future, and the prospect of expulsion have adversely impacted their children’s education.
Nemat Qurbani, an Afghan migrant in Islamabad, Pakistan, says that covering the expenses of private schools for migrants who have left all their belongings in Afghanistan is very challenging. These expenses include admission fees, annual fees, monthly fees, stationery and book costs, uniform expenses, and transportation costs. Qurbani told the Hasht-e Subh Daily, “When a child enters a private school, they have to pay a lot of money… First, they have to pay the annual fee and then the monthly fee, which is a minimum of 3000 rupees and varies depending on the school. Additionally, they have to pay around 15,000 Pakistani rupees per year for books and other educational supplies.” In addition to the regular uniform required for students and purchased by their parents, these schools have another uniform for special occasions, further increasing the cost of education. Qurbani adds, “Besides the specified uniform, these private schools also require a specific uniform for their cultural programs, which must correspond to the program itself.” According to Nemat Qurbani, due to the high cost of education in private schools in Pakistan, some families cannot afford these expenses, leaving other children deprived of education.
Mujib Ghori (pseudonym), an Afghan migrant living on the outskirts of the Pakistani capital, also states that Afghan migrant children cannot enroll in Pakistani government schools. Ghori adds that inclusion in private schools in Pakistan also poses challenges. He says, “Some private schools, with relatively high fees and with the guarantee of one or two Pakistani citizens, enroll Afghan refugee children.” Finding one or two Pakistani citizens for guarantee is not the only problem for these migrants; considering they do not have the right to work (migrants without PRR and ACC cards), they sometimes struggle to afford the expenses of these schools. According to Mr. Ghori, while many homeowners refrain from guaranteeing migrant children, many families cannot afford the monthly expenses of 3 to 10 thousand Pakistani rupees.
Insecurity also haunts some of these migrants in Pakistan, negatively impacting the education of their children. Mujib Ghori says, “Many families live secretly in very remote areas due to fear and security concerns. In these areas, there are not even schools or educational centers, and if there are any, they are far from the residential areas of these individuals.”
Mohammad Mahmoodi, another Afghan migrant residing in Islamabad, who has enrolled his children in a private school, also complains about the high expenses of these schools. He says, “Initially, there is the registration fee, books, stationery, supplies, and the school uniform, each private school having its specific uniform, and the fee must be paid before the month begins, which becomes quite burdensome in the first month.” Mahmoodi adds that the educational environment within families is also not conducive due to several families living in one house. He says, “Afghan migrants in Pakistan rent a room for each family just to spend their days and nights, due to the high rental costs of houses. This affects the studying environment for students because, in a three-room house where one family should live, three migrant families reside, causing a lot of noise and considerable commotion.”
Another challenge hindering the education of migrant children in Pakistan is the psychological pressures resulting from poverty, uncertainty, and the possibility of expulsion. Last year, the interim government of Pakistan began the process of expelling 1.7 million undocumented migrants in Pakistan, reportedly having expelled at least 500,000 migrants so far. Recently, the new government of Pakistan announced the start of the second phase of expelling Afghan migrants on April 15. According to the Pakistani government, migrants holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) will be expelled in the second phase. The federal government of Pakistan has instructed the police to quickly gather information on this group of migrants. The return of migrants to Afghanistan, while endangering their lives, has also affected the education of their children. Nemat Qurbani says, “Those who lack documents such as visas and passports are severely affected by psychological pressures.” These migrants, initially faced with difficulties due to the lack of passports and visas when enrolling their children in private schools in Pakistan, are now fearful of being stopped by the Pakistani police during their commutes or even at their children’s schools.
Mohammad Mahmoodi also states that psychological pressures and uncertainty have affected the education process of migrant children. He adds, “Uncertainty, the possibility of expulsion of migrants, and financial difficulties are among the factors that have caused migrants to suffer psychological problems, which in turn affect the education of children.”
It is worth noting that in recent decades, special schools for migrants registered with the Afghan government have been operating in some parts of Pakistan. However, due to migrants living in various scattered locations, these schools cannot cover all migrant children. Furthermore, the number of these schools is very limited, lacking the capacity to accommodate all migrant children.