KABUL: Thousands of Afghan girls already excluded from classrooms by Taliban restrictions are now being shut out of online education as poverty, limited internet access and a lack of digital devices leave them with virtually no path to continue their studies, according to a report by Hasht-e Subh Daily.
The report found that for many girls, online learning, the only remaining alternative after the Taliban banned female education beyond sixth grade and later closed universities to women, remains out of reach because their families cannot afford smartphones, internet packages or reliable electricity.
Parents and students say economic hardship has turned what was meant to be a lifeline into an opportunity available only to a small minority.
Several girls said their families own only one basic mobile phone, typically used by the head of the household, making online learning impossible. Others said many online courses are conducted in English or have limited enrolment, creating additional barriers for students unfamiliar with the language.
Many also said they lack the digital skills needed to use online learning platforms and have no one to help them navigate the technology.
Parents echoed those concerns, saying they were often unaware of available online education programmes or how to register their daughters.
Even when they knew about such opportunities, many said financial hardship prevented them from providing the necessary equipment.
Salma, a student from Baghlan province, said her hopes of continuing her education had faded after schools were closed to girls above sixth grade.
“My father cannot afford the costs of online education and can barely provide for our living expenses through farming,” she said.
“He has one basic phone, and the rest of the family members do not have phones.”
She said many girls in her village now spend their time sewing and embroidering instead of studying.
Another girl, using the pseudonym Sumaya, said she was in eighth grade when the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
After her father’s death, financial hardship prevented her from joining online classes, and her family later arranged her marriage.
“Economic difficulties and educational restrictions changed the course of my life,” she said.
Nahid Sadat, who had hoped to become a journalist, said she was accepted into an online school but could not continue because her family could not afford internet costs.
She added that her two sisters had also been deprived of education.
Parents interviewed by the newspaper said online education remains out of reach for most families.
“My daughter has been deprived of education and does not have the possibility of attending online school,” one father said, adding that only wealthier families could afford the required technology.
Another parent from Panjshir province said poverty and a lack of awareness about online education were preventing girls from continuing their studies.
In many households, he said, limited educational resources are prioritised for boys.
The Taliban barred girls from attending secondary schools shortly after returning to power in August 2021.
In December 2022, they extended the ban to universities, and in late 2024, further restricted women from studying at medical institutes.
According to estimates by international organisations, more than 2.2 million Afghan girls have been excluded from formal education as a result of the restrictions.
Afghanistan remains the only country where girls are officially barred from secondary and higher education, a policy that has drawn widespread international condemnation.
