More than two dozen girls and women stage protests in front of the Ministry of Education against the Taliban’s decision to shut schools.
The decision, which the Taliban is yet to explain, means girls above the sixth grade will not be able to attend school
More than two dozen girls and women have staged protests in front of the Ministry of Education in the capital, Kabul, days after the Taliban administration shut secondary schools for girls until further notice, following which the Afghan group has been accused of reneging on its promise on higher education for girls.
Thousands of jubilant girls across Afghanistan had flocked to learning institutions on Wednesday – the date the education ministry had set for classes to resume for girls of all ages.
But just hours into the first day, the ministry announced a shock policy reversal that left youngsters saying they felt betrayed and foreign governments expressing outrage.
On Friday, the United States cancelled planned talks with the Taliban in Qatar that were set to address key economic issues after the group’s decision to close schools.
The decision, which the Taliban has yet to explain, means girls above the sixth grade will not be able to attend school.
“Open the schools! Justice, justice!” chanted protesters on Saturday, some carrying school books as they gathered at a city square in Kabul.
Afghan women and girls take part in a protest in front of the Ministry of Education in Kabul [Ahmad Sahel Arman/AFP]
They held banners that said “Education is our fundamental right, not a political plan”, as they marched for a short distance and later dispersed as Taliban fighters arrived at the scene.
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