Students create large painting to bring attention to closed schools

KABUL (TOLOnews): Students painted a large mural hoping to bring attention to the closed schools. The students called the painting a civic protest against the closure of schools above grade six.
“It has been around one month that we have been working on it. We draw the girls who are deprived of schools and call on the Islamic Emirate to reopen the schools,” said Sara, a student.
“We are concerned. We are concerned about our future–that if the doors of girls’ schools remain closed, will girls be able to reach their dreams of the future?” said Ilaha, a student.
The students called on the Islamic Emirate to reopen the schools for female students in grades 6-12.
The painting, which was made in 26 days, is intended to give a special message about the deprivation of girls.
Sayed Mohammad Naseer Hashimi, head of the organization that supported the students, said they are planning to hold an exhibition in the near future.
“We are planning to gather these art pieces and paintings made by women in Afghanistan and display them via an exhibition, thus it can raise the voice of the Afghan girls to the world,” he said. The schools for female students in grade 6-12 have remained closed for more than one year despite facing strong criticism at the national and international level.