Unique Effort Reopens Girls' School in an Afghan Province
2021-12-03
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1High school girls are at staying home almost everywhere in Afghanistan because Taliban rulers will not permit them to go to school.
2There is, however, one exception.
3For weeks, girls in the western province of Herat have been back in high school classrooms.
4This comes after an effort by teachers and parents to work with the local Taliban administrators to reopen the schools.
5Taliban officials never officially approved the reopening.
6But they also did not stop it when classes started in early October.
7"Parents, students and teachers joined hand in hand to do this," said Mohammed Saber Meshaal.
8He is the head of the Herat teachers' group, which helped organize the campaign.
9The success in Herat shows the difference in the Taliban's current rule over Afghanistan from their rule in the late 1990s.
10In their earlier rule, the Taliban banned women from public life and would not permit girls to attend school.
11They used force and punishments to enforce the rules.
12Now, the Taliban seem to understand that they cannot act the same way.
13In the past 20 years, Afghanistan has changed.
14Women are out in public and some have professional lives.
15The Taliban have been unclear about what is permitted and what is not permitted.
16Many think the Taliban do not want to create additional problems as they try to get control of an economy that is near collapse.
17The group also faces the possible loss of international financial support and the dangerous growth of the Islamic State in the country.
18That has left a narrow path where Afghans can try to push back.
19When the Taliban took power in August, most schools were closed because of COVID-19.
20Following international pressure,
21the Taliban soon reopened schools for girls in grades 1-6, along with boys' schools at all levels.
22They have not permitted girls in grades 7-12 to return, saying they must be certain the classes are held in an "Islamic manner."
23The Taliban also barred most women from government jobs, their largest place of employment.
24In Herat province, however, teachers quickly began to organize.
25"When the Taliban came, we were very worried, because of everything before," said Basira Basiratkhah.
26She is the head of the Tajrobawai Girls School in Herat.
27They met with the local Taliban leader and head of the education department to build a relationship.
28When they asked for a reopening, Taliban officials refused,
29saying they could not permit it without an order from the government in Kabul.
30The teachers continued to ask.
31Basiratkhah said they told the Taliban,
32"We don't need to change anything. We are Muslims and we already observe everything Islam requires."
33By October, the teachers and parents felt they could reopen. But many were worried.
34"We had concerns, and we have them still," said Mastoura, a parent with two daughters at the school.
35"But daughters must get an education. Without education, your life is held back."
36Fadieh Ismailzadeh is a 14-year-old in the ninth grade.
37She said she cried with happiness at the news.
38"We had lost all hope that schools would reopen," she added.
39Not all the students showed up when the doors opened.
40But as parents became more confident, classes filled after a few days, Basiratkhah said.
41On a recent day, girls in a chemistry class listened as a teacher explained the elements that make up water.
42Shehabeddin Saqeb is the Taliban education director for Herat province.
43He says the group has no problems with girls going to school.
44"We openly tell everyone that they should come to school," he told The Associated Press.
45"The schools are open without any problem. We never issued any official order saying high-school-aged girls should not go to school."
46A full reopening of girls' schools must likely happen before United Nations' agencies will agree to pay teachers.
47So far, the Taliban have refused to set a date for reopening and most schools are starting a winter break until March.
48In a speech Saturday, Taliban Prime Minister Mohammed Hassan Akhund said "women are already getting an education,"
49adding only: "There is hope to broaden it, as God allows."
50I'm Susan Shand
1High school girls are at staying home almost everywhere in Afghanistan because Taliban rulers will not permit them to go to school. 2There is, however, one exception. 3For weeks, girls in the western province of Herat have been back in high school classrooms. This comes after an effort by teachers and parents to work with the local Taliban administrators to reopen the schools. 4Taliban officials never officially approved the reopening. But they also did not stop it when classes started in early October. 5"Parents, students and teachers joined hand in hand to do this," said Mohammed Saber Meshaal. He is the head of the Herat teachers' group, which helped organize the campaign. 6The success in Herat shows the difference in the Taliban's current rule over Afghanistan from their rule in the late 1990s. In their earlier rule, the Taliban banned women from public life and would not permit girls to attend school. They used force and punishments to enforce the rules. 7Now, the Taliban seem to understand that they cannot act the same way. In the past 20 years, Afghanistan has changed. Women are out in public and some have professional lives. The Taliban have been unclear about what is permitted and what is not permitted. 8Many think the Taliban do not want to create additional problems as they try to get control of an economy that is near collapse. The group also faces the possible loss of international financial support and the dangerous growth of the Islamic State in the country. 9That has left a narrow path where Afghans can try to push back. 10When the Taliban took power in August, most schools were closed because of COVID-19. Following international pressure, the Taliban soon reopened schools for girls in grades 1-6, along with boys' schools at all levels. 11They have not permitted girls in grades 7-12 to return, saying they must be certain the classes are held in an "Islamic manner." The Taliban also barred most women from government jobs, their largest place of employment. 12In Herat province, however, teachers quickly began to organize. 13"When the Taliban came, we were very worried, because of everything before," said Basira Basiratkhah. She is the head of the Tajrobawai Girls School in Herat. 14They met with the local Taliban leader and head of the education department to build a relationship. When they asked for a reopening, Taliban officials refused, saying they could not permit it without an order from the government in Kabul. The teachers continued to ask. 15Basiratkhah said they told the Taliban, "We don't need to change anything. We are Muslims and we already observe everything Islam requires." 16By October, the teachers and parents felt they could reopen. But many were worried. "We had concerns, and we have them still," said Mastoura, a parent with two daughters at the school. "But daughters must get an education. Without education, your life is held back." 17School reopening 18Fadieh Ismailzadeh is a 14-year-old in the ninth grade. She said she cried with happiness at the news. "We had lost all hope that schools would reopen," she added. 19Not all the students showed up when the doors opened. But as parents became more confident, classes filled after a few days, Basiratkhah said. 20On a recent day, girls in a chemistry class listened as a teacher explained the elements that make up water. 21Shehabeddin Saqeb is the Taliban education director for Herat province. He says the group has no problems with girls going to school. 22"We openly tell everyone that they should come to school," he told The Associated Press. "The schools are open without any problem. We never issued any official order saying high-school-aged girls should not go to school." 23A full reopening of girls' schools must likely happen before United Nations' agencies will agree to pay teachers. So far, the Taliban have refused to set a date for reopening and most schools are starting a winter break until March. 24In a speech Saturday, Taliban Prime Minister Mohammed Hassan Akhund said "women are already getting an education," adding only: "There is hope to broaden it, as God allows." 25I'm Susan Shand 26The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. 27______________________________________________________________ 28Words in This Story 29province - n. any one of the large parts that some countries are divided into 30broaden - v. to become wider or more general 31We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page.