UNESCO Reveals Educational Challenges for Afghan Girls: Urgent Calls for Change
Last Updated on March 12, 2024 1:16 pm
In a recent report, UNESCO sheds light on the educational barriers faced by Afghan girls, highlighting the alarming statistic that 75% of them are denied access to education. Afghanistan finds itself among the top ten countries where girls encounter significant obstacles to schooling, with nine African nations sharing this unfortunate distinction.
The UNESCO report emphasizes the critical need for addressing the educational disparities faced by girls in Afghanistan, where at least half of them are unable to attend school. The situation is particularly dire, with a staggering 75% of Afghan girls lacking the opportunity for formal education.
Local voices, including those of university professors and students, express concern about the potential consequences if the situation persists. Zakiullah Muhammadi, a university professor, warns that without educational opportunities, Afghanistan’s future may be marked by darkness and ignorance.
Eighth-grade students Zahra and Maryam, affected by the closure of schools for girls beyond the sixth grade, turn to art as a temporary outlet. However, they stress that art can never replace the value of education and advocate for the reopening of schools for girls.
“I should have been in the eleventh grade by now, but since the schools were closed, I am still in the eighth grade,” laments Maryam, echoing the sentiments of many girls whose academic progression has been halted.
As the new educational year, 1403, approaches, students like Rabia and Sana appeal to the Islamic Emirate, urging the caretaker government to reconsider its stance on reopening schools for girls above the sixth grade. Despite over nine hundred days since the closure of these schools, and with less than ten days until the new academic year, the caretaker government has yet to provide clarity on the matter.
The UNESCO report serves as a call to action, emphasizing the urgency of addressing these educational challenges and ensuring that Afghan girls have equal access to education, a fundamental right that plays a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s future.