The interim government has started the new academic year in Afghanistan for the fifth consecutive year without reopening schools for girls above the sixth grade.
The new academic year officially commenced today (Thursday, March 24) in a ceremony attended by several officials from the current government in Kabul and some provinces of the country.
As in previous years, there was no mention of reopening schools for girls above the sixth grade at the beginning of this academic year.
This marks the fifth consecutive year that the school year in Afghanistan begins without the presence of girls above the sixth grade.
The Ministry of Education of the interim government had stated that the curriculum for schools and educational institutions has been changed from the first to the sixth grade, and its publication is underway.
After regaining control over Afghanistan, the interim government prohibited girls above the sixth grade from attending school until “further notice.”
The current government has also banned education for women and girls in universities and higher education institutions, including medical institutes.
According to United Nations statistics, with the prohibition on girls above the sixth grade attending school imposed by the current government, more than 2.2 million girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of education.
The United Nations, international human rights organizations, and Afghan citizens have repeatedly called for the lifting of the ban on girls’ education, but this government has not yet agreed to allow girls to return to schools and universities.
The start of the academic year in the country without reopening schools for girls above the sixth grade has sparked significant reactions among international organizations and political figures in the country.
Dr. Tajuddin Owaiali, a UNICEF representative in Afghanistan, wrote on his X account coinciding with the reopening of [boys’] schools in Afghanistan: “The message is simple: every girl has the right to go to school.”
He emphasized the right to education for girls in Afghanistan, stating, “When girls learn, communities become stronger, and the future becomes brighter for everyone.”
Sanjeev Vijesekera, UNICEF’s regional director, also mentioned on his X account that many girls in Afghanistan are waiting for schools to reopen.
Richard Lindsay, the UK representative for Afghanistan, also wrote on his X account a few days ago that “depriving women and girls of education harms the country’s future and holds back Afghan society.”
