Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, students in Afghanistan were temporarily unable to attend school. Many students in Afghanistan were excited when the Taliban announced that schools would be reopening, but on the day that students were set to return to the classroom, the Taliban made a last minute decision to prevent girls from attending school in grades above sixth grade. 

The Taliban claims that their reason to postpone a return to school for girls in Afghanistan is because they needed more time to decide on a uniform for girls that is appropriate for their religious beliefs, but many girls are worried that this temporary ban from attending school will turn into a permanent change. When the Taliban was in control of the country in the past, they also prevented girls from attending school. In the past, they said it would be temporary, but since women were unable to attend school at all, many girls in Afghanistan are worried that this incident will be a repeat of the past. 

In response to the Taliban preventing them from attending school, many women gathered to protest the ban in front of the Ministry of Education in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. The women who protested the ban on their education expressed feelings of frustration and betrayal over the Taliban’s decision. The ban goes against the Taliban’s promise to provide women with a right to education upon taking control of Afghanistan again, so many girls in Afghanistan are rightfully upset over the education rights being taken away. Since the Taliban first regained control of Afghanistan, most of the women’s rights that women in Afghanistan had gained over the last few years have been taken away, leaving many women desperate to at least regain their right to an education.

As time progressed, the Taliban took an even more extreme approach to keeping women outside of school. Now, women in Afghanistan are highly encouraged to avoid leaving their house if possible. The Taliban has also begun ordering women in Afghanistan to wear burqas which are head to toe coverings whenever they go outside. If women do not follow these rules, their men family members could potentially face punishment such as time in prison. According to Juliana Neemeh (11) “It is so terrible that the Taliban is taking away women’s rights. Hopefully the women in Afghanistan will one day be able to get their right to an education in the future.”

Even though the Taliban promised to allow women to keep their freedoms and rights to education, they have gone against this promise. Because of this, many women in Afghanistan are upset that they no longer have the right to an education.