Taliban promises all Afghan girls to ‘soon’ return to schools

Kabul, 18 Oct (EFE).- The Taliban promised on Monday that they would “soon” allow all girls to return to school, after not allowing them to access to education in secondary schools following their reopening a month ago.

“Our efforts are underway to soon reopen girls’ (secondary) schools, so the education process soon returns to normal,” Taliban spokesperson Bilal Karimi told EFE.

He said the Taliban authorities were still working on measures to provide a safe educational environment for girls in secondary schools, in conformity with the values and principles of Islam and the Afghan people.

“We are still busy and working on the framework, guidelines and regulations for the girls’ schools and then schools will be reopened based on these measures,” Karimi said.

On Sep.18, the Taliban announced the reopening of schools for boys at all levels, while for girls it was limited to primary education.

Meanwhile, at least five of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces have already reopened secondary schools for girls in an unofficial manner.

“Schools have been reopened in some provinces and we are now working to reopen them in capital Kabul as well,” Mashal Afghan, a member of the Taliban’s cultural commission, told EFE.

The ban on reopening schools for girls and young people has caused uncertainty among the Afghan people, with criticism from women’s rights activists who fear returning to the dark era under the former Taliban regime between 1996 and 2001.

During that time, and despite continued promises that the measures would be only temporary, girls were banned from attending school and the role of women was relegated to domestic chores, while not being allowed to even step out of the house without an accompanying male guardian.

“Taliban have to and should reopen girls’ schools otherwise they will face the reaction of a nation this time and if Taliban continue the ban it will be their biggest mistake,” Matiullah Wisa, an activist for the promotion of education in Afghanistan, told EFE. EFE

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