Education International

ATROAfghan Teachers' Rights Observatory

Testimony

Simin, female, has been teaching for 18 years in a primary girls' school in Herat

In the past year (testimony from April 2023), I received only partial payments of my salary, and my meager income is insufficient for basic living expenses.

Teachers have never been highly esteemed in this society. I became a member of a teacher union because professional representation is crucial. However, our current circumstances are challenging, and I find myself extremely unhappy.

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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.

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Seyed, a male teacher for over 20 years in a secondary boys’ school in Herat

I was happy when I was teaching the upper classes, but I have now been at home for the past two years. I firmly believe that girls should have the right to education and female teachers should be allowed to teach boys.

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Sherin, female teacher for 7 years in a boys’ school in Herat

Female teachers like me now face the challenging situation where girls' schools have been closed, and female teachers have been relocated to distant areas. The increased pressure and the loss of privileges associated with my previous teaching career have left me very disillusioned.

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