The Kabul Tribune — Afghanistan’s education system is facing severe challenges, but the opportunity to rebuild remains if urgent action is taken, UNICEF said in a statement on Saturday.
The U.N. agency called on the Taliban authorities to lift
the ban on girls’ secondary education and to invest more in primary learning to
protect hard-won progress in the country’s schools.
“Afghanistan’s education system faces immense challenges,
but the chance to rebuild remains,” UNICEF said. “Lifting the ban on girls’
secondary education and investing in primary learning are vital to protect
progress and keep education within reach for every girl and every boy.”
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021,
Afghanistan has become the only country in the world where girls are barred
from attending secondary school and university. Human rights groups and
international organizations have repeatedly urged the Taliban to reverse the
ban, warning that it threatens to erase decades of educational gains.
UNICEF said that millions of Afghan children — particularly
girls — risk being left behind if access to education is not restored. The
agency has continued to support community-based schools and learning centers
across the country, focusing on early-grade education and teacher training.
Despite international pressure, Taliban officials have
maintained that restrictions on girls’ education align with their interpretation
of Islamic law. UNICEF reaffirmed its readiness to work with Afghan authorities
to ensure that “every child in Afghanistan, regardless of gender, has the
opportunity to learn and thrive.”
