Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Dari article.
The world marked International Teachers’ Day on Monday, while Afghan girls remain barred from attending school beyond sixth grade and many female teachers have been forced to stay home under Taliban restrictions on women.
The United Nations said female teachers play an important role in Afghanistan’s education system.
“We hope Afghan women can continue learning, become future educators, & help build the knowledge and skills of young girls,” the U.N. said in a post on X.
Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, many female teachers in the country have lost their jobs and income.
An Afghan teacher, Farida, who requested that her name not be disclosed, told VOA that she is staying at home and that many female teachers face serious problems.
“I hope these problems do not continue forever and that they are resolved,” she said.
After seizing power in Afghanistan, the Taliban initially told women to stay home, claiming what they described as security concerns. A few months later, the group imposed widespread restrictions on women working, including as teachers.
Afghan education analysts say the continued ban on girls’ education and restrictions on female teachers could inflict irreversible damage on the country’s education system. Shahla Farid, a former law professor at Kabul University, told VOA that allowing female teachers to return to schools is crucial because they are trusted by local communities to educate girls.
“Female teachers in Afghanistan have not only been educators, [but] they have been a bridge between families and girls’ education,” she said.
In a statement in April, UNICEF said that if restrictions on education and employment for girls and women remain in place, Afghanistan could lose more than 25,000 teachers and health sector workers by 2030.
UNICEF also said that since the Taliban banned girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade, more than 1 million girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of their right to education.