Now Reading: Kabul girls lose hope despite madrasa education
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Kabul girls lose hope despite madrasa education
Four Afghan girls aged 16 and 17 told the Hindustan Times that they are getting an education at a private madrasa in Kabul but see no future. They lost years of schooling…
The Story in Brief
Four Afghan girls aged 16 and 17 told the Hindustan Times that they are getting an education at a private madrasa in Kabul but see no future. They lost years of schooling after the Taliban closed government secondary schools to girls in 2021. Now they pay about 1,000 afghanis ($15) a month, fees many friends cannot afford. Experts estimate only 10% of secondary-age girls in Afghanistan receive any formal education.
The girls study maths, science and English alongside Islamic subjects. But they are barred from most jobs and university. One said her parents tell her things will improve, 'but I don't think it will be OK.' They blamed Afghan men for not speaking up and wanted the world to engage with the Taliban to push for more opportunities.
The Indian Opinion
Stories of Afghan girls quietly learning in private madrasas challenge the simple narrative of total Taliban oppression. But the girls’ own despair, one said 'I don't hope for any future', shows that grey zones do not amount to freedom. Outsiders who argue for engagement point to these loopholes; those who demand isolation point to the bans. The real test will come when the Taliban decide whether to reopen government secondary schools for girls. Until then, every madrasa is a fragile exception, not a solution.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
