Education International

ATROAfghan Teachers' Rights Observatory

Testimony

Anonymous, female teacher

I want to give information about the problems of professors, especially women professors.

Throughout the history of Afghanistan, it has been considered among the countries of the world that education and training has not progressed to the extent that was essential and necessary.

As a teacher, I have seen many problems with my own eyes. In the republican system, my life and that of all female teachers was in danger. Teachers were threatened with death and acid was thrown on them. There were no standard training centres for teachers or schools. There were very few girls’ schools, there was no safe and healthy environment for teaching. In most of the remote provinces and districts, there were not even any girls’ schools. No one was given the right to education.

When the republican system fell and the Taliban seized power, these problems became more and more present than ever. The gates of all girls’ schools above the sixth grade were closed, and to this day, it is not known what will happen to the teachers who were teaching in these schools. All of them are in a bad economic situation, all women in Afghanistan, especially the teachers, have been deprived of all their rights and until today their identity is not recognised.

More Testimonies

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.

Read more Read more

Shakila, a female teacher for over 15 years in a girls’ school in the Balkh province

I have been very unhappy for the last year due to the unsafe situation. Unfortunately, my daughters are currently not allowed to attend school, which badly impacts their morale.

Read more Read more

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.

Read more Read more
All testimonies