Some girls’ high schools in eastern Afghanistan reopen

Authorities in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Paktia said girls’ high schools had opened in recent days, though the move had not been officially approved.

Most girls’ secondary schools in Afghanistan have been closed since the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) took over in August 2021 after the group made a sudden U-turn on promises to open them in March.

“The schools have opened some days ago, the rules about Islam, culture and customs are observed, the principal of schools asked the students to come back to school and the girls’ high schools are open,” Mawlawi Khaliqyar Ahmadzai, head of Paktia’s culture and information department, told Reuters.

However, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, on Tuesday told an Ariana News journalist that he does not have any details on this reported move.

“I don’t have detailed information about this yet, and investigations are underway to find out under what measures the schools are opened and to whose guidance,” he said.

A spokesperson for Paktia’s education department confirmed that girls’ high schools have opened but said his department was not informed in advance and they had sent a letter to the national education ministry and were waiting for a response.