Education International

ATROAfghan Teachers' Rights Observatory

Testimony

Anonymous

Although the Taliban’s education minister had promised that Afghan teachers’ salaries would increase, there are many problems. The Taliban’s policy of not allowing male teachers to teach girls and female teachers to teach boys has made things worse. Many people, both men and women will, and have lost their jobs. The same problem has plagued some teachers with mental illness that the world needs to pay attention to. The word ‘teacher’ is bad for some people, and they do not want anyone to associate the name ‘teacher’ with them. Although the status of a teacher in Islam is great, the fact that a teacher always faces many economic problems in society does not make anyone want to become a teacher.

More Testimonies

Anonymous, female secondary school teacher, union, and women’s rights activist

I am a former provincial leader of the National Teachers’ Elected Council. At the same time, I have been a women’s rights activist for a long time, advocating for girls’ education and participation of women in different organizations. Due to my engagement with teachers’ union and women’s rights activism, I was one of the most well-known people in my city which put me in imminent danger.

Anonymous, Male Teacher

Where the Taliban ruled, there were no schools at all, and if there were, only boys were allowed to go to school and girls were deprived.

Shahira, a female teacher for 3 years in a secondary school in Balkh

Teachers should have the right to join a professional association or education union and the union should have a legal right to negotiate on behalf of teachers on all professional matters, on professional autonomy and freedom.