Female students, teachers concerned by results of clerics’ gathering

KABUL (TOLOnews): Some students and teachers said their expectations from the recent clerics’ gathering were not met as there was no specific mention of the reopening of girls’ schools above grade six in the resolution issued by the participants of the gathering.
Schools for female students from grade 7-12 have remained closed for over nine months.
The gathering of clerics was expected to make a decision over the reopening of the girl’s schools but the resolution of the gathering did not refer to the issue.
“Our wish from the Loya Jirga was to reopen the school but this didn’t happen. We wanted them to talk about the schools. For how long will we be deprived of our education. Will they respond to our questions about whether we have the right to study or not? We have been in an uncertain fate for a long time,” said Shogofa, a teacher.
“Afghan girls become hopeless as the fate of their schools was not discussed and this is bad news for Afghan girls,” said Momina, a teacher.
Human Rights Watch said it is not surprising the gathering did not bring any breakthroughs with the issue of girls’ schools.
This is not “surprising that the Taliban’s grand meeting didn’t lead to any kind of breakthrough on a real thing — girls’ secondary school,” said Heather Barr, Associate director of the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch.
But the officials of the Islamic Emirate said that based on the resolution of the gathering, the decision about religious and modern education will be taken.
“The Islamic Emirate respects the wishes and views of the Islamic clerics. The Islamic Emirate will take serious steps in this regard,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.
Out of all the participants at the gathering, only two brought up the reopening of girls’ schools.