### Title: Afghan Girls Resiliently Seek Education Amid School Bans

### Summary: The ongoing education ban imposed by the Taliban on Afghan girls has forced many, like 15-year-old Amina, to turn to madrassas for learning. While these alternatives provide some education, they fall short of the comprehensive schooling needed. With their dreams at stake, girls across Afghanistan remain resilient in the face of adversity.

In Afghanistan, the dreams of teenage girls are being dimmed as they face ongoing educational restrictions reinstated by the Taliban. Amina, now 15, vividly recounts the heartbreak she felt when she learned that she could no longer attend school like her male counterparts. "All my dreams were shattered," she says, recalling that she was only 12 when the new school year commenced without her—and countless other girls—allowed to enroll.

For four consecutive years, girls over the age of 12 have been banned from mainstream education, a situation affecting over one million girls, according to UNICEF. Amina, who always aspired to become a doctor after life-saving surgery at the hands of a female surgeon, now finds herself limited to madrassas. These religious institutions have become the sole avenue for many girls to receive any form of education.

While some families can afford private tutoring for subjects like mathematics and science, the madrassas operate on an Islamic education model, raising concerns about the narrow curricula they provide. Critics argue that these institutions may promote an ideological agenda often aligned with the Taliban's restrictive views.

Meeting Amina in the Al-Hadith madrassa, a private religious school in Kabul, one witnesses the stark conditions under which these girls learn. The school, established by Amina's brother Hamid in response to the education ban, houses around 280 young women. He highlights the impact of the ban on Amina's dreams, saying, "When girls were denied education, my sister's dream of becoming a heart surgeon was crushed."

Afghanistan is unique in its education ban on women and girls, leading to dire implications for their rights. A recent report states that madrassas have begun incorporating extremist teachings under Taliban oversight, which include prohibiting co-education and enforcing strict dress codes.

Historically, before the Taliban's resurgence, around 5,000 madrassas provided some education in Afghan society, focusing mainly on religious teachings. However, since the ban, some have broadened their curricula to include science, mathematics, and language studies. There are ongoing debates over whether these amendments can ever replace the conventional education necessary for empowerment.

Visiting the Shaikh Abdul Qadr Jilani madrassa, which serves over 1,800 girls and women, reflects a mixed reality. The facility operates under basic and cold conditions, offering classes organized by ability rather than age. While the intent is to provide a blend of academic and religious studies, the resources available for non-religious subjects fall short of satisfying comprehensive educational needs.

Graduates like Hadiya, who overcome the low expectations set by their circumstances to teach subjects outside the religious curriculum, show promise for resilience and potential. Nevertheless, as Safia notes, the madrassas cannot truly substitute the mainstream education system, warning of the wider implications of this continued segregation.

Human Rights advocates emphasize the importance of restoring educational rights beyond basic levels, highlighting the need for quality education as a deterrent to radical ideologies. The Taliban Ministry of Education claims many students are registered within these madrassas, yet the prospect of reopening schools for older girls remains uncertain.

Amid these daunting realities, Amina expresses her unwavering hope for the future. "I still believe that one day the Taliban will allow schools and universities to reopen," she asserts, determined to realize her aspiration of becoming a heart surgeon.