FEMALE EDUCATION IN AFGHANISTAN By: Lim Ji Wei

WHY WERE WOMEN DENIED EDUCATION?  Taliban rule Ban women from receiving education Ban women from receiving education Burned down women schools and universities Burned down women schools and universities Women involved in teaching were caught by the Taliban and persecuted, jailed, and tortured Women involved in teaching were caught by the Taliban and persecuted, jailed, and tortured Affected 106,256 girls, and 8,000 female university undergraduates. 7,793 female teachers were dismissed, a move that crippled the provision of education and caused 63 schools to close due to a sudden lack of educators Affected 106,256 girls, and 8,000 female university undergraduates. 7,793 female teachers were dismissed, a move that crippled the provision of education and caused 63 schools to close due to a sudden lack of educators

WHAT DO THE FEMALES DO?  Some women ran clandestine schools within their homes for local children, or for other women under the guise of sewing classes.  The learners, parents and educators were aware of the consequences should the Taliban discover their activities  Gave a sense of self-determination and hope for those trapped under the strict Taliban rule

IMPROVEMENT IN FEMALE EDUCATION  When Taliban was ousted in 2001  Women are theoretically free to attend school  But: o lack of resources and facilities o regular militant attacks on schools led to regular closure of schools  Takes tremendous bravery and tenacity for girls to go to school  In 2008 alone, there were 283 violent attacks on schools, resulting in 92 dead and 169 injured

RESULT  As a result of Taliban’s rule:  Only 26 per cent of Afghanistan’s population is literate, and among women the rate is only 12 per cent  Among school age children, 38 per cent (4.2 million in real numbers) do not have access to schools, most of which are girls  50 per cent of schools do not have buildings and other necessities, and a dearth of textbooks, teaching materials and equipped laboratories  Large number of school closures or relocations directly affects the quality of education

LOCAL ORGANIZATION STRIVES TO IMPROVE AFGHAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

SOURCES     education education   education_system/ education_system/