Afghan girls protest Paktia school closure

Female students protested against the Taliban's closure of five secondary schools in Paktia province of Afghanistan.

Despite severe international pressure, the Taliban government in Afghanistan opened secondary schools in March after a year of establishment. However, all the schools were temporarily closed on the second day. Students and teachers took to the streets to protest.

After successful negotiations with tribal elders and school principals in Gardez, Paktia, five secondary schools were opened a few days ago, but Taliban officials have closed them again. There have been protests in the Afghan province of Paktia by dozens of girls and provincials over this issue. The students demanded that the school be opened, arguing that they had fulfilled all the conditions of sharia hijab, female teachers and separate classrooms for girls. Therefore, the schools should not be closed.

The Taliban government in Afghanistan has denied education to 3 million secondary school girls, but has opened primary schools and universities.

Taliban officials say they do not oppose girls' education, but secondary schools cannot be opened until the educational institutions have a complete Sharia environment.