These days, there has been an increase in girls attending madrasas. Girls deprived of modern schools, adorned in white school scarves and black uniforms, flock in groups toward these religious schools either for learning or enrollment. Part of this phenomenon can be attributed to the proliferation of madrasas and other religious schools, as well as the Taliban’s special attention to these religious institutions. They have designated religious schools as alternatives to regular schools for girls. Another aspect pertains to factors stemming from the closure of regular schools, universities, and other educational centers for girls. These reopened gates, under Taliban rule, serve as the sole outlet and refuge for girls beyond the confines of their homes, providing a space for interaction and education.
In Baghlan province, at least, one of these madrasas, previously obscure and predominantly male-oriented until last year, has now established a separate branch for girls. They have recruited female teachers and are attracting many girls from elementary schools daily. The Taliban’s particular emphasis on expanding such madrasas undoubtedly aims to solidify their ideological foundations within society, fostering intellectual stagnation, eroding critical thinking, promoting religious biases, nurturing a generation lacking skills, propagating religious extremism, and reinforcing the group’s ideological underpinnings in the societal framework.
However, some believe that in the long run, this initiative will inflict psychological harm upon girls.
Religious schools have been active in the past and are now operating within the framework of the Ministry of Education. The curriculum in these madrasas includes both regular school subjects (pre-1398 curriculum (2019) and religious texts. At these institutions, subjects such as geography, history, Persian literature, Pashto, English, and mathematics are taught. However, the curriculum mainly revolves around religious textbooks and also textbooks from the previous government and not the new curriculum of the previous government. Each grade’s religious curriculum varies and encompasses grammar, syntax, jurisprudence, traditions, and more. The educational syllabus at these madrasas has remained largely unchanged, following the same format as during the republic era until last year. Nevertheless, recent extensive structural changes have occurred, involving alterations to the educational curriculum as well as aspects related to teachers, headmasters, students, and the premises of the religious schools.
During the period when regular schools were open, and girls still had the right to attend, the madrasas did not thrive. Those who did attend showed irregular attendance and significant reluctance. Male participation was relatively higher, while female involvement was almost non-existent. The only time students were present at the madrasas was during exam days. Exam questions were elementary and straightforward. Neither the teachers paid much attention to the subjects nor did the students take them seriously. All the teachers at the madrasas were male. The principal, headmaster, and instructors were all male, teaching girls exclusively.
Wajiha (pseudonym), who graduated from one of these madrasas a few years ago, describes the situation from within as follows: “I used to go to the madrasa two or three times a week. They offered no real education for us. Non-religious subjects were merely nominal, and we learned nothing. Many students in grades ten and eleven lacked basic literacy skills. Religious subjects, which received more attention, were not taught well for various reasons. There was no commitment to attendance, and the teachers had no interest in teaching girls. Moreover, the girls themselves lacked knowledge due to the inadequate foundation provided. No one paid attention to the higher grades. Consequently, during exams, teachers tried to ask the simplest and easiest questions so that students could pass.”
Last year, some girls who were previously attending regular schools went to the madrasa. Gradually, their numbers increased. Boys and girls studied in the same building, while all the staff, except for female students, were male. These practices violated Taliban rules, which mandate the segregation of girls from boys and do not allow mixed spaces. However, this was the situation until last year. Then, nearing the annual exams, some female teachers were recruited to the madrasa, initiating a process of attracting and recruiting teachers, and an exam was held to select these female teachers. It was believed that the current number of teachers would be sufficient. However, with the start of the new year, a massive wave of girls stormed the madrasa, necessitating the recruitment of more female teachers. Additionally, the female section needed strengthening, and according to Taliban demands, it required a female manager, a female headmaster, and a separate female environment.
The enrollment process and inclusion of girls in the madrasa entail procedures, including the manner of girls’ attire and their age. Girls who seek enrollment in these madrasas must adhere strictly to the Taliban dress code. On the other hand, some girls who have been out of regular school for three years and now wish to join the madrasa are over 18 years old, making them ineligible for enrollment. However, the same number of girls are willing to amend their age on their national identification cards or even create fake documents to gain entry into the madrasa.
Asma is one of the girls who recently joined this madrasa in the eleventh grade. She says, “My sister and I both wanted to join the madrasa. However, my older sister couldn’t. She’s 20, and I’m 18. A couple of girls who were older than her still managed to enroll, but they suggested to my sister to obtain a new ID or adjust her age, which my sister refused.”
There are various reasons why girls, despite the strict regulations of the madrasa, choose to go there. Currently, schools, universities, and academies are closed to girls, and the only places they can attend, and have the right to attend, are religious schools and madrasas where religious teachings are taught. Therefore, girls prefer going to such places over idleness and the fatigue of staying at home. In essence, madrasas and other religious schools serve more as a refuge for girls to escape and spend their days.
Afsana is one of the girls who completed her schooling with a one-day exam at the end of the year. She has recently joined the madrasa. Afsana says, “There’s nowhere else to go. I go to the madrasa out of necessity to avoid staying at home. At least there, I can see other girls and feel better. The curriculum mainly focuses on religious studies, and the teachers are women. I am also trying to keep myself engaged in my studies.” She used to aspire to study journalism at university, but now, out of compulsion and fear of becoming depressed and engaging in risky behavior, she goes to the madrasa. However, going to the madrasa, where the educational materials are prepared under Taliban supervision, and the behavior of students is under Taliban scrutiny, leaves detrimental consequences.
Regarding the current need for religious education in a conservative society like Afghanistan, Mohammad Moheq, a researcher on religious issues, believes that society requires a variety of fields to organize social life, and prioritizing these fields (religious or non-religious) should be based on societal needs and their impact on social life. He evaluates the necessity of religious education from both rational and traditional perspectives: Basic religious knowledge, creed principles, worship, and halal and haram regulations, which are fundamental for any religious individual, are often taught at home by parents or through mosque imams and religious teachers at schools, and anyone can learn them in a few sessions. However, learning disciplines such as jurisprudence, interpretation, hadith, principles of jurisprudence, theology, and the like, which are specialized fields, are sufficient obligations according to Sunni jurisprudence. In this regard, there is no difference between these specialties and non-religious specialties. He adds: “Determining how much a society needs each of these fields to organize its social affairs and how many individuals can meet these needs is a rational matter and can be discerned through conventional human knowledge. If we look at the issue solely from a traditional perspective and examine it from a rational viewpoint, the importance of various sciences and disciplines such as law, political science, economics, and sociology alongside natural sciences like physics, biology, etc., is much greater than jurisprudence and religious teachings. This means that society will suffer greatly and its social life will be in crisis due to a shortage of experts in these fields, while a shortage of experts in jurisprudence, hadith, and interpretation will not lead to such consequences. Therefore, the prioritization of fields should be based on societal needs and their impact on social life.”
Moreover, Mr. Moheq regards Taliban-style religious education as detrimental rather than beneficial to society in Afghanistan. According to him, the religious education pursued by the Taliban not only leads to intellectual stagnation and the suppression of free thought but also brings numerous disadvantages to society. In his view, “One part of its harm stems from nurturing an unemployed and skill-deficient segment that contributes nothing productive to society, burdening the community and leading to its backwardness. Another part of the harm of this type of education is the exacerbation of sectarianism and religious bigotry, which fosters pessimism and hatred among the residents of a country and can lead to increased social tensions and sectarian conflicts, contrary to both Islamic moral values and the national interests of Afghanistan.”
Batool Heydari, a psychologist and women’s rights activist views girls attending religious schools as a deceptive short-term solution that may offer a glimmer of hope but will have adverse effects on girls’ mental health in the long run. Speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, she states, “The idea of girls going to these schools as an excuse to leave home might seem like a positive move superficially. In the short term, it may satisfy some families and even the girls themselves. However, it poses numerous psychological risks and jeopardizes the girls’ well-being in the long term.” She believes that the environment of religious schools and their specific regulations do not meet the developmental needs of girls at this age. Adolescent girls need space to explore their talents and gain experience in various fields. She further adds, “When girls feel they cannot be free and independent, and their actions are constrained by what is dictated in religious schools, they experience feelings of despair and frustration. Since girls do not attend these classes willingly and enthusiastically, it can lead to personal and social conflicts in the future.”
Abu Muslim Khorasani, a researcher in terrorism studies and media, considers religious schools as one of the main suppliers of human resources for terrorism worldwide. He adds that the majority of leaders and fighters of terrorist groups have emerged from religious schools. According to him, the presence of women in religious schools and madrasas can be crisis-inducing and perilous in several ways: “Firstly, terrorist groups may recruit women. While women are less represented in terrorist groups compared to men, the establishment and expansion of girls’ religious schools may provide the Taliban with a pool of recruits. Secondly, there’s the issue of religious extremism, which has been present and growing in these institutions in recent years. Women’s presence in such institutions could alter the traditional Afghan view of religion and increase extremism within families. Although this phenomenon has been on the rise in recent years, the Taliban’s involvement could accelerate the trend and complicate the issue further. Thirdly, the education system in religious schools trains individuals whose knowledge does not apply to our society today, while also imparting limited skills for personal and social life. Fourthly, religious schools and madrasas have been proposed by the Taliban as an alternative where Afghan women have no choice but to go.”
While the Taliban are striving to increase religious schools and madrasas, critical thinking in Afghanistan is being stifled and virtually nonexistent. The people of Afghanistan, with their reverence for religion and religious institutions, do not see the need to be informed about what is being taught in such institutions, and the environment in these schools and religious institutions is not conducive to questioning and scrutiny. However, what is necessary is for the people of Afghanistan to pay attention to this matter in the current circumstances and become aware of what is being taught to their children, or else there is a possibility that in the future, the children of these same people may fall victim to terrorism.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
افزایش روند جذب دانشآموزان مکاتب در دارالعلومهای دینی؛ بایدها و پیامدها