In brief
Teenage girls in Afghanistan are barred from regular schools due to Taliban policies, forcing many to turn to madrassas for education. While these religious centers provide some learning opportunities, concerns about their curriculum and the future remain. One girl, Amina, dreams of becoming a doctor despite the obstacles she faces.
In Afghanistan, a disturbing trend has emerged: for four years now, girls over 12 have been prohibited from attending school, leaving many like 15-year-old Amina heartbroken. Her aspirations of becoming a doctor were crushed when the Taliban took power, closing schools and casting uncertainty on the future of education for girls. “Since the ban, my dreams have been shattered,” Amina says, recalling when she learned her right to education was stripped away. More than a million girls have been affected, as per UNICEF. With no access to mainstream schools, many girls are now attending madrassas, religious institutions, which have become the only hope for learning.Though some families can pay for private tuition, those in madrassas receive primarily religious education. Concerns arise over the quality and type of education provided, with accusations that extremist ideologies can seep into their teachings. Amina’s brother, Hamid, established a private madrassa, Al-Hadith, to help his sister and others cope with the education ban and regain their hopes for a better future.Visiting these madrassas reveals the harsh conditions in which these girls study. The Shaikh Abdul Qadr Jilani madrassa, for example, has limited resources but educates over 1,800 girls in various subjects. However, the lack of proper facilities highlights the inequalities faced in education, with madrassas unable to substitute for full-fledged schools and universities. Young women discuss their subjects passionately, but the overall sentiment remains: these religious centers are no match for the quality education they once knew. UN officials voice serious concerns about the restrictive education, pointing out it could lead to more radical ideologies in the future.Despite the grim prospects, Amina holds onto her dream: “I will become a heart surgeon one day,” she insists. Her story encapsulates the resilience of many Afghan girls who continue to strive for a better future amid overwhelming obstacles.
