In a stark reminder of the challenges facing education in Afghanistan, UNESCO has reported that approximately 2.4 million girls are currently deprived of secondary schooling due to the Taliban’s restrictions. As the situation continues to deteriorate, many experts warn that this figure could reach four million by 2030 unless significant policy changes occur. The issue not only underscores the importance of female education for national development but also highlights the urgent need for international advocacy to support Afghan girls in their right to learn.
About 2.4 million girls in Afghanistan are currently barred from attending secondary schools, according to a recent report by UNESCO that calls for immediate action to reverse the Taliban government’s restrictions on female education. This figure has increased by 200,000 since the previous year, and the organization warns that it could rise to nearly four million by 2030 if no changes are implemented.
Afghanistan stands as the only nation globally prohibiting girls and women from accessing secondary and higher education, a scenario that has led the United Nations to describe the situation as “gender apartheid.” Since the Taliban regained power after the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021, girls have been systematically denied education opportunities; secondary schools were closed to them in March 2022, while women were barred from universities as of December of the same year.
In addition to closing educational institutions to girls and women, the Taliban administration has also prohibited female teachers from instructing boys. This decision has severely impacted the quality of education, as qualified female educators have been removed from the teaching workforce, leading to an anticipated shortage of over 11,000 trained female teachers by 2030, according to UNESCO.
The restrictions on girls’ education compound an already struggling education system and economy. Many schools in Afghanistan are overcrowded and inadequately equipped, with nearly half lacking essential facilities such as water, sanitation, or heating. The country has also faced numerous natural disasters that have forced around a thousand schools to close over the past five years. Alarmingly, more than two million children remain out of school at the primary level, with research indicating that 90 percent of 10-year-olds lack basic reading skills, resulting in a national literacy rate of only 37 percent.
Despite widespread international condemnation and appeals from various Muslim-majority countries to promote girls’ education, the Taliban government continues to dismiss these calls, framing its policies as a domestic issue. This ongoing crisis reveals the urgent need for global collaboration and sustained advocacy to ensure that Afghan girls have the opportunity to pursue education and thrive.
#PoliticsNews #WorldNews