A US-based organization, Data Friendly Space, has reported that 2.2 million girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of schooling since the ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade was imposed in March 2022.
The report also stated that if the ban continues until 2030, it could deny more than 4 million girls the right to secondary education.
The report notes: “The education system in Afghanistan is severely strained, with limited public schools and learning spaces, particularly affecting girls’ education. Teachers are often underqualified and lack access to teaching methods and materials. An estimated 3.7 million children are out- of-school in Afghanistan, 60% of them are girls. The ongoing education crisis leaves approximately 2.2 million girls out of school following the ban on education beyond Grade 6 imposed in March 2022.”
The report further mentions that poverty, migration, and natural disasters have also created barriers to accessing education in the country.
Meanwhile, the Taliban has consistently labeled the issue of girls’ education as a domestic matter and has urged countries and international organizations not to interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs.
