former Director of Broadcasting at Tajala Radio –
Afganistan
Girls deprived of education in Kabul say they have turned to learning English as a way to break the restrictions imposed by the Taliban and to find opportunities for continuing their studies in other countries. They add that they no longer have any hope for schools and universities reopening and see learning English as a way to fill the educational void forced upon them by the Taliban.
According to them, although online education remains the only available option, it comes with challenges such as high internet costs, poor service quality, and expensive course fees. Some girls say they have no choice but to learn English under the current circumstances. They believe that if the Taliban had any intention of reopening schools and universities, they would have done so in the past nearly four years.
These girls emphasize that if suitable educational opportunities become available in neighboring countries, they would leave Afghanistan without delay to pursue their studies. Mahtab Hosseini, a 20-year-old girl who is now preparing for the TOEFL exam, was previously a political science student. After universities were closed to women, she stayed home but did not give up her dreams. Instead, she began learning English to continue her education abroad.
She says: „At first, everything was dark. But when I saw some of my close friends studying English, I thought to myself: maybe this is my only way out. Now, English is like a ladder for me to climb over these restrictions.“ Mahtab uses money earned through her family’s tailoring work to pay for online English courses. In addition to English, she follows lessons in social sciences and international relations through platforms such as YouTube, Coursera, and edX.
Another girl, Sadaf Taheri, who has also been deprived of education, says the Taliban’s restrictions pushed her to learn English as a means of continuing her studies. She adds: „When I saw people traveling to other countries for medical treatment, I became eager to study medicine. But with the Taliban’s return, that dream was taken from me.“
Sadaf considers online learning the only lifeline for girls deprived of education. She says: „Even though online learning wasn’t my first choice, it’s the only path that can bring me closer to my dreams. My main goal in learning English is to pursue my studies and perhaps one day leave Afghanistan. My hope is to study at an international university and progress.“
Setoda, who was unable to continue her education after 10th grade due to Taliban restrictions, says online learning is the only way to build a future for herself and other girls. She describes online education as a window of hope — a way to partially fill the gap left by closed schools and universities and to move closer to fulfilling her ambitions.
Setoda adds: „Online learning is a valuable opportunity for Afghan girls. When we can’t go to school or university, it helps us study from home, make progress, and take steps toward independence and literacy.“
With restrictions placed on girls’ education, several educational institutions and centers have launched online teaching programs for those barred from attending school. These programs aim to fill the educational gap and help continue learning at home.
The Europe Organization is one such institution, offering online courses in 12 different languages to between 1,000 and 1,500 women in Afghanistan who have been deprived of education due to Taliban restrictions. These courses are designed to equip women with essential skills and knowledge for empowerment and a better future.
Victory Afghanistan, an organization founded in 2023 by four women in Chicago, currently provides English lessons at five different levels to over 1,000 girls and women in Afghanistan. The organization aims to create equal educational opportunities and break the Taliban’s restrictions by using online platforms to support the advancement and empowerment of women.
It has now been 1,363 days since schools were closed to girls. According to a UNESCO report, Afghanistan is among the top ten countries with the highest number of girls deprived of education, with approximately 75% of girls having no access to school.
