Afghan Girls say ban on schooling takes joy out of Eid

KABUL (Tolo News): Female students expressed that their lack of education has diminished their enjoyment of the Eid holidays.

Despite this, they remain hopeful that school doors will open for them within this solar year.

Ayesha, who has been waiting for schools to reopen for more than two years, told TOLOnews: “Our Eid has become like ordinary days and has no joy. Unlike in the past, when we used to get holidays from school and the next day was Eid, it was very delightful, and we enjoyed our holidays.”

Girls above the sixth grade, frustrated by the continued closure of school gates, once again asked the Islamic Emirate to open the schools for them.

Ghazal, another student, said: “Our request of the Islamic Emirate is to open the schools as an Eid gift for us. We want our schools to be reopened.”

Sheila, another student, said: “I would have graduated from school this year and not wasted my youth. Our request of the Islamic Emirate is just to reopen the schools so that we can make up for the years that have passed in the coming years.”

Farhad Abrar, a university professor, on the negative impact of girls’ school closures, said: “The closure of schools for girls above sixth grade, universities, and now other educational institutions like courses and institutes means that we are heading towards a serious regression where illiterate mothers are raising illiterate children for society.”

More than two and a half years have passed and with the start of the 1403 solar academic year, the Islamic Emirate has yet to make any new statements regarding the reopening of schools for girls above sixth grade.