The Taliban Ministry of Education has compelled educational centers in Kabul to sign commitment letters to not accept girls above the sixth grade. According to this commitment, no educational institution is allowed to admit girls beyond the sixth grade, and female teachers must teach girls below that grade. The Taliban Ministry of Education considers the violation of this commitment by educational officials as a “crime.” However, some educational officials in the country have expressed concerns about the increasing restrictions imposed by the Taliban on girls, stating that if this trend continues, more schools in the country will be forced to close. Nevertheless, some female students argue that education is their fundamental human right and that the Taliban should open schools and universities to them.
Continuing their imposition of restrictions on women and girls in the country, the Taliban have compelled officials of schools and other educational centers in Kabul to sign mandatory commitments to prevent the entry of girls above the sixth grade into these institutions.
In this commitment letter, a copy of which has been obtained by the Hasht-e Subh Daily, it is stated that no educational center is permitted to educate girls above the sixth grade. According to this commitment, girls below the sixth grade must be taught by female teachers.
The Taliban Ministry of Education emphasizes in this commitment letter that there is no acceptable excuse for violating this directive, and refusal to accept it is considered a “crime.”
An official from an educational center in Kabul, who prefers to remain anonymous due to security concerns, stated that this commitment was sent to all educational centers over the past weekend. According to him, the Taliban have issued orders in three stages to educational officials in Kabul to ban the education of girls above the sixth grade.
The source adds that in the first stage, in late March 2023, the Taliban orally informed educational center officials that they were not allowed to teach girls above the sixth grade. In the next stage, a delegation from the Taliban Ministry of Education and Security authorities sealed several educational centers in Kabul for educating girls above the sixth grade.
In the third stage, last week, the Taliban Ministry of Education officially sent this commitment letter to all educational centers and formally prohibited the education of girls above the sixth grade.
The source states: “In the two previous stages, although the Taliban had warned, some educational centers secretly taught girls because there were no girls above the sixth grade mixed with boys. Our teachers are still women.”
The source emphasizes: “In fact, it has been proven that the Taliban inherently have issues with women and girls receiving education. Relevant authorities have taken commitments from all of us, and if we disobey, we will face detention, beating, insult, and humiliation from this group. Because they reminded us that we are seriously under their supervision.”
Ahmad (pseudonym), an official from a foreign language educational center in the vicinity of Kabul’s seventh district, states that the recent actions by the Taliban have led him to close his institution.
Ahmad adds: “Contrary to issuing this commitment letter, the Taliban have denied issuing it to some media outlets, while they stood against us and made very derogatory remarks against women and girls, thinking that none of this group were born of a woman.”
This private school official says: “I completely closed my educational center in protest against the Taliban’s actions. Because I couldn’t tell my teachers and students not to come to the educational center anymore. If we remain silent against these orders today, it will become law tomorrow.”
Ahmad warns that if the Taliban’s strict actions continue, more educational centers in the country will be closed.
However, some female students argue that education is their fundamental human right and that the Taliban should open schools and universities to them as soon as possible.
Nargis Mohammadi, a tenth-grade student at one of Kabul’s schools, tells the Hasht-e Subh Daily: “The Taliban have turned Afghanistan into a graveyard for us. How long should we endure? Every day they impose new restrictions and no one stops them. Education is our right.”
This comes as the Taliban, after regaining control of Afghanistan, have banned girls above the sixth grade from attending schools and continue to prohibit their education in universities. Observers say this group is attempting to completely remove women and girls from society by exerting pressure on them in the country.