Bahara Rustam, a 13-year-old student from Kabul’s Bibi Razia School, bid farewell to her academic journey on Dec. 11, realizing that under Taliban governance, her schooling chapter has closed prematurely. Tragically, the prospects of returning to classrooms for many Afghan girls like Bahara seem bleak.
Following the U.S. and NATO troop exit from Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban decreed a strict educational limitation, prohibiting girls from advancing beyond the sixth grade. The severity of this restriction escalated in December 2022 when the Taliban extended the ban to higher education institutions, drawing widespread international criticism and jeopardizing their legitimacy claims over Afghanistan.
Echoing global apprehensions, U.N. special envoy Roza Otunbayeva voiced distress over an entire generation of Afghan girls facing educational stagnation. Although the Education Ministry hinted at permitting girls into traditionally male-dominated religious schools or madrassas, concerns linger regarding the presence of a contemporary curriculum that aligns with modern educational needs.
For students like Bahara, the abrupt end to their schooling journey casts a shadow of uncertainty. Despite her determination to continue learning at home, the absence of formal education beyond sixth grade is a stark reality. The absence of graduation ceremonies further underscores the despair gripping schools like Bibi Razia.
Elsewhere in Kabul, Setayesh Sahibzada, another 13-year-old, grapples with shattered dreams. The aspiration to become a teacher now seems like a distant dream. Expressing her anguish, Setayesh lamented the curtailment of her educational aspirations, emphasizing her incapacitation to pursue her passion.
Highlighting the broader implications, analyst Muhammad Saleem Paigir underscored the devastating ramifications of sidelining Afghan women and girls from education. Paigir emphasized that an illiterate populace remains ensnared in perpetual challenges, hindering societal progress. With the Taliban imposing stringent restrictions, limiting women’s public roles and professional opportunities, the future appears increasingly constricted for Afghan women.
