Is the Taliban trying to force girl students out of education by imposing impossibly strict dress codes? The terrorist group that took over control of the Government of Afghanistan in August last year has closed secondary schools for girls in March, reneging on its promise to support girls' education in the country.
However, in some provinces, where the Taliban was forced to keep girls secondary school open due to community pressure, the group is implementing increasingly harsh dress codes, reports ANI. For instance, in the Balkh province, schools have been threatened with closure if the dress code is violated. In fact, rights groups reveal that one such school in the province was shut for days after some students removed the veil that covered their faces.
Taliban's version of the dress code for women and girls requires them to wear a hijab that covers their entire head, shoulders and face, leaving just their eyes uncovered. A Taliban official was recorded threatening a school principal to fire a teacher for "immodest dressing".
What is a "modest dress" then, according to the Taliban? Consider this: The sleeves on the teacher's shirts should be wide enough to hide the elbows and the shape of their arms. However, teachers complain that they were reprimanded when these loose sleeves rolled back while writing on the board in the classroom, thus revealing their arms. "One day, we are asked to have loose sleeves and the next day, we are admonished for it," shared a student.
To counter this dilemma, the Taliban has now ordered that women wear loose sleeves, but pin them at the wrist, said the student. Teachers also report that the Taliban has appointed spies inside the schools that relay information to the group. This leads to teachers being fired or students being expelled for the smallest of diversions from the dress code.
Students believe that the terrorist organisation is enforcing such outrageous dress codes in order to force students to quit education on their own. "The decision is to not let them win," say students.
