Secret schools for Afghan girls have persisted despite the Taliban’s 2021 ban on education for females over sixth grade, with networks operating in homes, caves, and hidden spaces to evade detection.
Inside a modest home in Kandahar, 60 girls sit on tarp mats, their faces covered, as a young teacher writes on a whiteboard. This secret school, run by a 20-year-old woman using a pseudonym, is one of hundreds across Afghanistan where girls evade the Taliban’s 2021 ban on secondary education for females. The ban, which prohibits schooling beyond sixth grade, has forced educators to operate in secrecy, often under the guise of religious instruction to avoid scrutiny (Vice).
Hidden Classrooms: From Homes to Caves
In rural Kandahar, Sabira, a teacher who requested anonymity for safety, has operated a home school for three years, educating 110 girls. The girls and women in my village are illiterate. I wanted to become a teacher to change this,
she said, emphasizing the risks of defying the Taliban’s rules, which include public flogging for noncompliance (Vice). Similar schools exist in the Hazarajat region, where 19-year-old Fatima Husaini teaches 35 students in a mountain cave, using natural light and makeshift desks. I feel afraid of the Taliban and am always looking over my shoulder,
she admitted, though her school remains undetected (Vice).
The Taliban’s 2021 takeover reversed years of progress, including the 2001-2021 era when education reforms helped increase female literacy. However, the current regime has not formally outlined plans to expand education, citing gender segregation
and “uniforms” as barriers to reopening girls’ high schools. Despite this, secret schools have proliferated, with estimates suggesting 100 to 300 such institutions nationwide, serving thousands of children (ibtimes.co.uk).
Networks of Resistance: NGOs and Community Efforts
Women for Change, another organization, pays 30 teachers to educate nearly 1,300 girls. One instructor in Helmand, identified as Sherin, teaches 20 students twice daily, balancing the challenge of limited resources with a commitment to her students. I hope that the Taliban will allow all girls to go to school and open more schools. With education, only then can we change our society and Afghanistan,
she said, echoing the sentiments of many educators (Vice).
Economic and Social Consequences
The Taliban’s restrictions on girls’ education and women’s employment have already cost Afghanistan $84 million annually in lost economic output, according to UNICEF. This figure underscores the broader impact of the policy, which has stifled opportunities for a generation of girls.
The United Nations has labeled the Taliban’s system gender apartheid,
citing restrictions on women’s rights, including the dismantling of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the closure of shelters. Despite international condemnation, foreign governments continue diplomatic engagement with the Taliban, including China and the European Commission, which hosted talks in Brussels (ibtimes.co.uk).
The Uncertain Future of Education
As the Taliban’s grip tightens, the resilience of these hidden classrooms highlights both the determination of Afghan women and the fragility of progress. For now, the schools remain a lifeline, but their survival depends on factors beyond the control of teachers and students—chief among them, the Taliban’s evolving policies and international pressure. The question remains: will these secret classrooms endure, or will they be another casualty of the country’s ongoing crisis?.
