As the Class VI girl students in Afghanistan marked their last day of school due to the ban on Secondary government in the country by the Taliban, several Afghan girls called on the Taliban not to stop girls from going to school in the next academic year, a report by IANS stated.
Several girls studying in Class VI in Afghanistan have raised concerns about not being able to go to school next year, Afghanistan-based TOLO News reported.
Zahra and Zainab, who have just finished their Class VI, spoke about their last day at school. More than two years have passed, and the Taliban has so far not made any announcement regarding the reopening of schools for girls above the sixth grade, according to the TOLO News report.
"The last day of our school was very sad. Me and all my classmates were crying because we cannot go to school anymore, the teachers were also crying because they couldn't see their students anymore," TOLO News quoted Zainab, a Class VI student, as saying.
Zahra, the sister and classmate of Zainab said, "We said goodbye to our classmates and teachers. It's a very sad feeling that you can't see your classmates anymore. I spent 6 good years in school and from now on I don't want to sit in the corner of the house."
Zahra and Zainab's family emphasised the importance of their children's education. Their family urged the Taliban not to prevent girls from attending school. He said, "I do not want us to remain in these problems and for our children to remain in poverty and illiteracy in the future."
More than 800 days have passed since the Taliban announced the closure of schools for girls studying above Class VI in Afghanistan. The Taliban has said that they are working to provide education to girls above the Class VI, added IANS.
Palwasha, a women's rights activist, said, "In today's world where everyone is turning to technology, unfortunately, in Afghanistan as an Islamic country, girls above the sixth grade do not have the right to education and knowledge of humanities."
“Creating opportunities for students”: Taliban
Meanwhile, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, Taliban-appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, said closing the gates of schools is one of the fundamental reasons for people and for some nations to distance themselves from the Taliban.
Earlier in November, girl students called for the doors of universities to be opened for them. On the occasion of International Student Day, they stressed that education is their fundamental right and the Taliban should not prevent them from it.
Madina, 23, a third-year sociology student at Kabul University, said that the closing of the doors to education has taken away her dreams.
"My dream was to finish my bachelor's degree in sociology and then study for a master's degree in law so that I could defend the rights of Afghan girls," she said.
Taliban did not comment on their demand for International Student Day but emphasised that they are trying to create facilities for students in order to teach them as effectively as possible.
Zabiullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban, said, "In this regard, we are making our final efforts, from scholarships to education inside the country, raising the level of education and making educational departments specialised. In this regard, things have improved and efforts are still ongoing."
