ISLAMABAD: According to a Human Rights Watch report released on Wednesday, the Taliban’s educational policies, deemed “abusive,” are negatively impacting both boys and girls in Afghanistan.
The Taliban face global criticism for prohibiting girls and women from pursuing secondary school and university education. However, the focus on this issue overshadows the significant harm inflicted on boys’ education, which has been highlighted by rights groups.
Qualified teachers, particularly women, have left, leading to regressive changes in the curriculum and a rise in corporal punishment. This exodus has instilled fear among students, impacting school attendance.
In boys’ schools, the dismissal of female teachers has resulted in unqualified individuals or empty classrooms, depriving many boys of proper education. Reports reveal a surge in corporal punishment instances, with officials publicly beating boys for minor infractions or possessions like mobile phones.
Interviews conducted across various provinces highlighted concerns about the elimination of subjects like art, sports, English, and civic education, further deteriorating the education system.
The Taliban’s approach prioritizes Islamic studies in madrassas, neglecting basic literacy and numeracy. They’ve enforced severe restrictions, barring women from public life, work, and education beyond the sixth grade.
The ban on girls’ education affects over a million girls, exacerbating an existing issue of around 5 million out-of-school children due to inadequate facilities and other reasons.
The report stresses the urgency for governments and UN agencies to push the Taliban to revoke their discriminatory policies against girls’ education and to safeguard boys’ rights to a secure and quality education. This includes reinstating women teachers, aligning the curriculum with human rights standards, and abolishing corporal punishment.
Sahar Fetrat, the report’s author, emphasizes the critical need for an immediate and robust international response to tackle Afghanistan’s education crisis, stating that the Taliban’s impact on education will have lasting consequences for the country’s future.
