The reopening of schools came as a result of efforts made by the Ferozkoh council which had urged the province’s education officials to reopen the girls’ schools…reports Asian Lite News
After months of the closure of girls’ schools in Ghor province of Afghanistan, now female students from grade 7 to 12 were allowed to attend their schools in Ferozkoh, capital of the western province, reported local media.
The reopening of schools came as a result of efforts made by the Ferozkoh council which had urged the province’s education officials to reopen the girls’ schools, reported TOLOnews.
Sultan Ahmad, head of the Ferozkoh council, said: “We reached an agreement that the high schools for girls in the capital and all districts of Ghor should be reopened.”
Expressing happiness over the reopening of the schools in the province, civil rights activist Habib Wahdat said: “Fortunately, the schools will be reopened for the girl students.”
Stressing that reopening of the schools is very important, Wahdat said: “If women are deprived of education, the next generation of the society will not have a bright future.”
So far, in western Afghanistan Herat and Ghor provinces have allowed girls to attend secondary and high schools.
When the Taliban took control of the country in August, it had barred girls from going to schools across Afghanistan.
Afghan women stage protest
Earlier this week, numerous Afghan women hit the streets demanding their right to learn and get employment under the Taliban rule.
The protesting women urged the international community and the Taliban to pay attention to their rights and also criticized them for their silence on the same, reported TOLOnews.
“We can tolerate hunger, living without food, but we cannot tolerate injustice. We ask for freedom and justice in our own country,” TOLOnews quoted a protester Malikzada as saying.
Earlier, the Ministry of Interior had announced that the demonstrations are not allowed unless the Ministry of Justice gives permission. The announcement followed after the repeated protests and gatherings by the Afghan women since the Taliban seized power in Kabul, reported the news channel.
However, the Afghans say that women can peacefully protest and ask for their rights.
“Women are half of the society, they have rights, there should be opportunities for learning and working based on the customs and culture of Afghanistan,” TOLOnews quoted a resident Abdul Qadir as saying.
Earlier, facing an uncertain future of their education under the Taliban regime, Afghan girls and activists called on the Taliban to reopen schools that remain closed to women across the country.
Some girls, worried about their uncertain future, accused the Taliban of selective treatment in the reopening of some schools but not others, reported TOLOnews.
“We want to go to school. The Islamic Emirate (Taliban) should not apply a double standard to allow girls in some provinces to go to school but then ban them in other provinces,” said Sahar, a student. (ANI)
