Education International

ATROAfghan Teachers' Rights Observatory

Testimony

Anonymous, ex-teacher, female

Most of my family members are teachers, mother, sister, and brother. With the arrival of the Taliban, we lost our jobs.

Only my brother remains a teacher, whose income is not enough for our family. My father is also unemployed, which means a big financial problem for all the teachers.

Teachers do not have freedom of thought and expression. The Taliban has sent written letters to all schools saying that their ideology should be taught in all schools, which is known to be terror and war.

Some teachers I know have been warned about trying to defend their rights.

More Testimonies

Zahra, a female teacher in a secondary girls’ school in Nangarhar

High officials impose significant restrictions on us. Female teachers in particular have no personal freedoms. Sometimes I doubt whether our profession is respected.

Read more Read more

Hamidullah, a male teacher in an Islamic school in the Balkh province

All my 9th grade students are struggling under very difficult circumstances. I myself have a salary of 9,000 afghanis (123 USD). This is unsustainable. Life is very bitter for me and my family.

Read more Read more

Anonymous, female, university professor

Before the Taliban came to power, I was teaching in a school. Two months after they came to power, I could no longer teach.

Read more Read more
All testimonies