In the tumultuous landscapes of regions affected by the Taliban, a war beyond the physical battlefield
unfolds—a war against education, enlightenment, and the pursuit of knowledge. In the new Afghanistan
under the Taliban, education has virtually been completely disregarded. The radical authorities argue
the country only needs madrassas to teach its Islamic curriculum and have deemed contemporary
education obsolete and prohibit girls from attending schools. Students’ access to education has also
been hampered by Taliban regulations due of personnel shortages brought on by prohibitions on
women teaching. The Taliban, for instance, mandate that schools be divided based on gender and that
only female teachers be able to instruct females. Due to this policy’s drastic reduction in the role of
female teachers and the need for more male teachers to fill in for female teachers who had previously
taught coed classes, male-only classrooms were formed, leading to a teacher shortage. Afghanistan’s
declining economy is another issue restricting access to education at all levels.
After a 20-year conflict and the fall of President Ashraf Ghani’s Western-backed administration, the
Taliban retakes control of Kabul on August 15, 2021, amid a disorderly withdrawal of international
forces headed by the United States. Under the guise of upholding women’s and human rights, the group
vows to grant Afghans greater liberties than during their first term in office, which ran from 1996 to
2001.The Taliban has implemented several harsh measures that have significantly curtailed the rights
and freedoms of women and girls since seizing power, despite their initial promises to adopt a more
moderate style to governing. The capacity of women to go to work, attend school, utilize public places,
and move around freely was practically taken away from them when these limitations were imposed.
Overall educational quality in Afghanistan has decreased as a result of Taliban objectives and practices.
Not only have Taliban policies decreased the quantity of teachers, but they have also decreased the
quality of instructors. As previously Incompetent community members take the place of skilled
educators, or officials from the Taliban. Additionally, the regulations have swapped out secular
curriculum for researches on religion. More teachers quitting the profession is making the issue worse.
As the Taliban frequently targets them for personal protection, disciplinary measures such as dress code
infractions, female teachers and as female instructors face higher hazards when they travel to schools.
0n May 7,2022 Hibatullah Akhunzada, the supreme leader of the Taliban, directs women to stay mostly
at home and hide their faces when they are out in public. Traveling between cities without a male escort
is likewise prohibited for women. One day after a brief announcement from the minister of higher
education issues an order “suspending the education of females until further notice,” hundreds of young
women are prevented from visiting university campuses by armed guards on December 21, 2022.
It already does harm to deny girls access to education. Due to restrictions on young girls’ ability to
pursue higher education, many families are already forcing youngsters into marriage in order to transfer
their support from mothers to fathers. In addition to being denied their position, rights, and dignity at
home and in society, women’s responsibilities have been weakened. The permanent prohibition on girls
attending high school would eventually bar women from participating in any aspect of society, citing
religious grounds as justification. Taliban officials have permitted the continued employment of female
educators, physicians, nurses, and public servants. However the pool of educated women to fill these
positions will dry up if they don’t pursue further education.
The international world has to tie the Taliban’s recognition to their record of inclusive and accountable
administration. The Taliban should only be given legitimacy if they demonstrate good conduct and policy
changes. The Taliban must be made aware of the value of girls’ education in Islam by UN organizations
like UNICEF and UNESCO holding talks with them and making sure Muslim academics from Afghanistan
and other nations attend. International organizations operating in Afghanistan must give girls access to
the educational resources they need to continue their education on par with boys until the Taliban
reopen schools for girls in order to guarantee that their education is not severely disrupted by the new
policy.
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