BAHARAN LAHIB

Bamiyan - With the Taliban continuing to restrict girls' education in Afghanistan, private learning centers have become a last resort for continuing to learn after schools and universities were closed to women.

In Bamiyan, where the mountains have endured years of war and political upheaval, the quiet sound of turning the pages of books and learning languages ​​has taken on a meaning for many girls that transcends mere learning.

Before the Taliban returned to power, attending school and educational centers was a part of girls' daily lives, but after the imposition of widespread restrictions on women's education, these classes became one of the last remaining avenues for continuing to learn and maintaining hope.

For girls whose access to schools and universities has been blocked, every hour spent at a learning center represents an opportunity to rebuild a future that was stolen from them. However, continuing on this path is not easy. Learning center officials in Bamiyan say they have repeatedly faced pressure and threats from the Taliban's morality police for educating girls, and some classes have been closed or their activities suspended at times.

 

An official at an English language center in Bamiyan says the center was founded more than 18 years ago to provide learning opportunities for young people. He recounts that he was previously unable to afford English language courses due to financial circumstances, so he began learning on his own. This experience motivated him to one day provide educational opportunities for others, a decision that has now resulted in the establishment of three language centers in Bamiyan.

 

But behind this educational activity lies a constant state of anxiety. When attempting to interview one of the teachers at this center, an atmosphere of caution and fear prevailed. After numerous questions about the purpose of the interview, one teacher finally agreed to speak, but the center's director refused to allow a filmed interview with her, and wouldn't even permit a photograph to be taken of her with her face obscured.

The center's director explained the reason for this concern, saying, "I am threatened every day, every moment, by members of the religious police, and I have been arrested twice already without any reason." He added, "My only crime was teaching girls."

 

Arzu Mohammadi, one of the teachers at the center, was once a student in the same classes. She says that her passion for education led her, after mastering English, to choose a teaching career. She believes that for the girls of Bamiyan, education is not just about acquiring skills, but also a means of self-reliance and building personal independence.

She pointed out that many residents of this region were unable to complete their education due to years of war and economic hardship, and that these centers strive to provide a new opportunity for learning. She also emphasized that these centers, in addition to their educational role, serve as a source of income for the teachers and staff working there amidst the difficult economic conditions.

 

She believes that whenever one path is closed to the girls of Bamiyan, they find another. In the three educational centers affiliated with this organization, hundreds of girls continue their studies, which, she says, demonstrates that the restrictions have not succeeded in extinguishing their motivation.

“We receive no encouragement from the Taliban government, nor from many segments of society, but the girls are still motivated. They want to learn, work, and become independent,” she says.

However, the Taliban’s restrictions have even affected the teaching methods. She explains that women are not allowed to teach male students, so most of their classes are for girls only. Still at the beginning of her teaching career, she hopes to gain more experience so that she can teach higher grades in the future.

“We receive no encouragement from the Taliban government, nor from many segments of society, but the girls are still motivated. They want to learn, work, and become independent,” she says.

 

However, the Taliban’s restrictions have even affected the teaching methods. She explains that women are not allowed to teach male students, so most of their classes are for girls only. Still at the beginning of her teaching career, she hopes to gain more experience so that she can teach higher grades in the future.