Afghan girls' school ban leaves fathers in despair

Afghan fathers interviewed by AFP say the Taliban authorities' ban on girls' education beyond primary school has left families searching for risky, costly or uncertain ways to keep their daughters learning.

Girls were barred from secondary schools in March 2022 after the Taliban authorities returned to power, and universities were closed to young women later that year. Taliban officials say the restrictions are temporary and justify them through their interpretation of Islamic law. The Taliban government did not respond to AFP questions about the ban.

The UN estimates at least one million girls have been directly affected by restrictions on secondary education. A UN survey last year found that nine out of 10 Afghan men questioned said it was important for girls to go to secondary school, and nearly two thirds considered it pious for a father to support his daughter's education.

The fathers, whose identities AFP protected, described clandestine classes, home tutoring, attempts to leave Afghanistan and fears of inspection or arrest. One doctor said a private school secretly teaching general subjects charged about 10,000 Afghanis, or $153, a month for his two daughters and offered no graduation certificate. He said he feared officials might inspect the school and take his daughters into custody.

Another father said his 12-year-old daughter, who is interested in astronomy, asked how she could learn if she could not go beyond grade six. Others said daughters who had already been cut off from school were isolated, depressed or losing hope.

Some fathers said they still supported aspects of Taliban rule, including security and reduced corruption, but could not justify barring girls from secondary education. Several said they were trying to keep daughters learning at home or in secret while worrying that opportunities were narrowing.