The Taliban, who now control the Logar Directorate of Education, have recently converted a girls’ high school building in the Mohammad Agha district of the province into a religious school. According to the provided information, 220 female students, most of whom previously attended regular schools, have been enrolled in this religious school. This school is affiliated with the central Mohammadia religious institution in Logar province. While some residents of Logar province reluctantly accept this Taliban action, arguing that religious education is preferable to girls staying at home, others consider it unfair and demand the preservation of the modern educational system. They view this Taliban move as the initial official step towards eliminating girls’ schools in Logar province.
On Wednesday, May 3, the Taliban administration in this province announced that they have converted the Surkhabad girls’ high school building into a religious school in coordination with the Ministry of Education. Taliban officials report that they have enrolled 220 students, ranging from grades 7 to 12, in this school, including graduating students from girls’ government schools.
However, students from government schools in Logar province are criticizing the Taliban’s move and emphasizing the urgent need to reopen schools. Latifa, a 10th-grade student from Pol-e Alam city, expressed her views to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, stating that converting regular schools into religious schools does not benefit girls. Latifa added, “For almost two years now, we have been deprived of the opportunity to attend school and receive a modern education. They have created uncertainty regarding the future of all girls in the country under various pretexts, and no appropriate action has been taken for us so far. Converting a high school into a religious school is not a suitable solution.”
Mohammad Hashem, a resident of Logar province, believes that the Taliban’s action is somewhat justified as long as schools reopen and create a suitable educational environment for girls. However, people are demanding that the Taliban ensure the availability of both religious and modern education for both girls and boys, in addition to regular schools.
Abdullah, a resident of the central city of Logar province, opposes the conversion of regular schools into religious schools as it will deprive girls of a modern education. He states, “This Taliban action will undo the achievements of the past two decades in fields like medicine, aviation, and others. Afghanistan will either rely on foreign female doctors or women will have to be treated by male doctors due to necessity.” According to him, this would be a significant disgrace in the country’s educational history in the 21st century, where modern schools are replaced by religious schools.
Meanwhile, university professors in Logar province emphasize the urgency of reopening schools. Abdul Rahman (pseudonym), a university professor in the province, expresses to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, “Thankfully, our society is 99% Muslim, and religious subjects are taught from elementary to high school levels. It would be preferable for the Taliban to facilitate the acquisition of modern education, which is a crucial and pressing societal need, alongside religious teachings.”
However, the Taliban prioritizes the expansion of religious schools rather than the advancement of knowledge and regular schools. Certain prominent members of the group have openly declared in the past that educating girls in modern sciences is forbidden, and from a religious standpoint, girls are not required to attend school. It is noteworthy that nearly 21 months have elapsed since the closure of secondary and girls’ high schools in Afghanistan. The reasons put forward by the Taliban for the closure of girls’ schools include non-compliance with Islamic hijab or dress code, cultural factors, and delays in implementing curriculum changes.
Local sources report that there are approximately 400 religious schools in Logar province, comprising 180 schools for girls and 220 schools for boys. Among these 400 schools, only 30 are government-owned, while the remaining 370 are private schools.
