Norwegian Charge d’affaires emphasizes reopening girls’ schools in Afghanistan

Mehdi Rezai

The Norwegian representative in Kabul emphasized the reopening of girls’ schools in the new academic year during meetings with Taliban officials and the head of UNAMA.

Paul Klouman Bekken, Norway’s Chargé d’affaires to Afghanistan, tweeted on his ‘X’ account on Thursday, March 28th, about meetings with Mawlavi Kabir, the political deputy of the Taliban regime, Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan, and Roza Otunbayeva, the head of UNAMA. He added that with the start of the New Year, girls must return to schools and universities.

Meanwhile, Karen Decker, the US embassy official for Afghanistan in Doha, stated that another Nowruz has passed in Afghanistan. However, there is still no sign of reopening girls’ schools in Afghanistan.

He made these remarks on Wednesday, March 27th, in a meeting, adding, “Afghanistan is experiencing its third year under the Taliban government, but schools have so far remained closed to girls beyond the sixth grade.”

The US embassy official for Afghanistan continued to emphasize that “Afghanistan, for the third consecutive year, is the only country in the world where girls beyond the sixth grade cannot pursue modern education.”

The 1403 academic year began in Afghanistan (March 2024) under the Taliban rule about nine days ago, but this year, like the past two years, only boys have been allowed to attend classes, and girls are still awaiting the reopening of schools beyond the sixth grade. Mahdia, one of the girls who completed the sixth-grade last year and is now unable to attend her classes, urged the Taliban officials to allow girls to return to their classes at the beginning of this academic year. Speaking to Khaama Press, she said, “I completed the sixth-grade last year, but I am prepared for the new year. I hope I can return to my class again.”

The Ministry of Education of the Taliban reiterated the importance of girls’ adherence to the hijab at the beginning of the new academic year but did not make any indication of reopening school gates for girls in middle and high school.