After the Taliban closed the doors of education above sixth grade to girls, online education became one of the few remaining ways for them to continue their studies. However, several girls who have been deprived of education say that due to economic difficulties, they have been unable to take advantage of this opportunity. They add that their families do not have the means to provide the facilities needed for online education, including smartphones, internet packages, and stable electricity. According to these girls, they live in large families, and in many cases, there is only one basic phone in the household, which is used by the head of the family. They also say that the capacity of many online schools and courses is limited, and a large portion of these programs is conducted in English, a factor that has made it more difficult for many girls, who are unfamiliar with the language, to take advantage of these opportunities.
These girls emphasize that many of them are not even familiar with how to use online educational programs, and there is no one available to guide or train them.
At the same time, the families of these girls, speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, say they do not have sufficient awareness of the existence of many online schools and courses or how to register for them. According to them, even when they are aware of such opportunities, economic difficulties prevent them from using them, and they lack the means to provide the facilities necessary for their daughters’ online education. They emphasize that under current conditions, providing adequate educational facilities is not possible for many families, even for the boys in the household.
Salma, one of the girls deprived of education in Baghlan province, who, before the Taliban restricted girls’ education above sixth grade, used to study by lamplight in the darkness of night for the sake of her future, now spends most of her days within the four walls of her home. She says that although online classes are currently the only option left for her to continue her education, her family’s economic situation has prevented her from participating in these programs.
This girl says: “My father cannot afford the costs of online education and can barely provide for our living expenses through farming. He has one basic phone, and the rest of the family members do not have phones. I used to study with great hope, but our fate changed against our will, and the only hope we had, which was school, was taken from us. In our village, many girls face the same fate; most of them are now occupied with sewing and embroidery, but this work cannot replace education.”
But Salma is not the only girl whose life path has changed against her will. Sumaya (pseudonym), another girl deprived of education in Kabul, says that with the closure of school doors, not only was her educational path halted, but the normal order of her life was also disrupted. She adds that over the past five years, her family has been unable to provide the means for her to pursue online education. According to her, economic difficulties and educational restrictions have altered the course of her life and destroyed many of her hopes for the future.
This girl, deprived of education, says: “When the Taliban entered Kabul, I was in eighth grade. Because my father had passed away, only my brother was working, and we faced economic difficulties. For this reason, not only was I unable to continue my education in online classes, but my family also arranged my engagement. It has now been a year since my wedding. Poverty and restrictions determined the course of my life.”
Nahid Sadat, another girl deprived of education, says that although she was accepted into one of the online schools, she was unable to continue her education due to high costs. She adds that her two other sisters have also been deprived of school, and all three of them are living in a state of uncertainty about their futures.
This girl, who out of necessity has turned to painting and once dreamed of becoming a journalist, says: “I had just finished tenth grade. I am in touch with several friends who are studying in online schools. I was also offered an online class and was accepted into the school, but I could not continue due to the cost of the internet. My two other sisters have also been deprived of school. One of them was supposed to attend university, but with the closure of universities, she was unable to continue her education.”
Meanwhile, several families whose daughters have been deprived of education above sixth grade say they are unaware of the existence of such programs, and even if they were aware, they would not have the means to provide online education for their children.
Asad, the father of a girl deprived of education, says he has been unable to provide the means for his daughter’s online education and does not have sufficient awareness on the matter. According to him, for this reason, he has only been able to enroll his daughter in one educational course.
He says, “My daughter has been deprived of education and does not have the possibility of attending online school. We only enrolled her in one course, but it is very difficult and costs money. Online education in Afghanistan is mostly possible for families who have money, while around 90 percent of other girls remain at home and are deprived of this opportunity.”
Hassan, another father of girls deprived of education in Panjshir province, says that in this province, online education for girls is only possible in families with financial means. He adds that poverty and lack of awareness about the online education system are among the most significant obstacles preventing girls from accessing this type of education. According to him, in many families, educational facilities are provided mostly for boys, while girls remain deprived of this opportunity.
Hassan says, “There are two fundamental problems here: one is poverty, and the other is lack of awareness about the online education system. Families have neither the financial means nor the necessary facilities, such as smartphones and computers. As a result, most girls either stay at home or, at most, gain access to religious schools.”
After the Taliban took control, girls above sixth grade were deprived of education. Then, in December 2022, girls’ education at universities was also banned, and in December 2024, they were further barred from studying at medical institutes.
According to statistics from various organizations, more than 2.2 million girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of education as a result of these decisions. Afghanistan is currently the only country in the world where girls are deprived of the right to education and work due to the Taliban’s restrictive policies, a situation that many international institutions and organizations have described as gender apartheid.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
میان ممنوعیت و فقر؛ دخترانی که از آموزش آنلاین هم باز میمانند
