No reopening: Taliban disputes claims of girls' schools allowed in Kabul

On 29 June 2024, during ‘Saar’, a political programme on the Ariana Television Network (ATN), Kabul-based political analyst Salim Paigir claimed that the Taliban had allowed 47 girls’ schools in Kabul to educate girls above grade six.

Paigir stated, “I am so happy today as my daughter started ninth grade.” The talk show host asked how this was possible, given girls’ schools above grade seven remained closed. Paigar replied, "Forty-seven private schools were authorised, all for girls. My daughter enrolled after passing a test administered by the Ministry of Education’s representatives.”

Paigir further elaborated that these institutions are referred to as education centres rather than schools, emphasising that it does not matter whether they are called madrasas or any other term, as long as girls are allowed to receive an education. “Starting today, my daughter will attend school from 13:00 to 17:00,” he added. 

Paigir reiterated his remarks in an interview with another Kabul-based private television network, Shamshad, adding that the school, called Dar-ul-Uloom, offers a curriculum equally divided between modern and religious subjects. Several pro-Taliban accounts shared the video clip of Paigir’s remarks, presenting the claims as a positive update regarding the reopening of girls' schools in Afghanistan.

On 3 July, political analyst Rohullah Hotak reiterated on the Kabul-based 1TV News channel that the Taliban had authorised 47 private girls' schools in Kabul for students above grade six. He claimed that this approval came after the schools met Taliban conditions, including the separation of male and female students, and the hiring of female teachers.

Taliban denies reports

On 1 July, a prominent Afghan social media activist with over 214,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), Shaikh Hamid, claimed that no girls' schools above grade six have reopened. He clarified that certain private madrasas enrol girls above grade six, but the registration of additional madrasas has also been banned by the Taliban.

The Taliban's Ministry of Education released a statement on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on 7 July, denying the reopening of girls' schools above grade six in Kabul. According to the statement, “Recently, some individuals and media outlets have falsely claimed that the Ministry of Education has allowed 47 girls' schools in the country to operate above the sixth grade. The Ministry of Education considers these reports unrealistic and far from the truth.”

The Taliban banned girls' education above grade six following the beginning of its administration in August 2021. However, some private schools received permits to run madrasas for girls from first to 12th grade, as permitted by the Taliban’s Ministry of Education. 

In March 2024, at the beginning of the academic year in Kabul, some private schools announced classes above grade six for girls under the name of Madrassa. They emphasised that their curriculum combines religious and secular education and that graduates will receive the same 12th-grade certificates as those from other types of schools offering secular education.

These private education centres added secular subjects such as science and mathematics to their curriculum, effectively operating girls-only madrasas as private schools for girls above grade six, to attract more students and reassure parents of a comprehensive education. 

This has resulted in misunderstandings by some political analysts regarding the Taliban allowing schools to educate female pupils above grade six. The Taliban’s Ministry of Education’s latest statement reaffirmed that no schools for girls above grade six will reopen until a comprehensive decision is announced.