KABUL: In the latest decree, the Taliban has banned female students from sitting in university entrance exams which are slated to take place next month, the Afghan news agency TOLOnews reported. The Taliban Ministry of Higher Education has sent a notice to the universities which state that the girls cannot apply for the exams until […]
KABUL: Every morning, in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Kabul, Afghanistan, girls secretly gather in a house to study, something that millions of girls around the world do freely. As the global community marks International Day of Education on Tuesday, Afghanistan is the only country where girls are forbidden to attend school. Calling the […]
KABUL: The Taliban say that Muslim clerics will meet to decide on the reopening of schools for girls above sixth grade as pressure mounts on the group to allow girls’ secondary education in Afghanistan. The Taliban spokesperson for the ministry of education, Aziz Ahmad Rayan, told VOA on Friday that clerics have been “given the […]
The Taliban rule has sought to bring about structural changes in the contemporary Afghan society. A strict abider of the Sharia law, the rule has left marginalised communities, especially girls and women, in the lurch. The latest concern is about the deprivation of girls from their right to education.
The Ministry of Education of Afghanistan, led by the Taliban has directed all secondary schools to resume from Saturday, however, the directive only mentions the male students, making no reference to a return date for girls.
The members of an all-female Afghan robotics team evacuated
from Afghanistan to Qatar are to continue their education through
scholarships to study at Qatar Foundation’s Education City, jointly funded by Qatar Fund
for Development.The team, known as the ‘Afghan Dreamers’, were flown to Doha
on a flight organized by Qatari officials after their home country came under Taliban rule and are now
being housed at Education City, where they will receive scholarships that enable them to keep
pursuing their studies through a strategic partnership between Qatar Foundation (QF) and Qatar Fund For
Development (QFFD).QF’s Education City houses the largest education ecosystem
of its kind in the world, comprising eight universities – including branch campuses of some of the
world’s leading universities – and both mainstream and specialized schools, and offers education
spanning K-12 to postdoctoral level. The strategic partnership that has enabled the Afghan students
to study at Education City reflects QF’s belief that nothing should stand in the way of education and its
commitment to ensuring people from Qatar and beyond can realize their potential, while also further
demonstrating how Qatar and its people show support and solidarity for those experiencing hardship and
upheaval.“These talented, creative students have been living through
a time of uncertainty and upheaval, and at Qatar Foundation we want to do whatever we can to ease their
concerns in the present while also helping them to look to the future,” said Her Excellency
Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation.“By providing them with scholarships to study at Education
City, their education can now continue uninterrupted. We are currently assessing their specific
needs to ensure they receive the learning experience within our schools and our pre-university
preparatory program that best suits their abilities and their goals.“Our priority is to ensure that these students feel safe,
cared for, and confident in the knowledge that their education will not be affected by this immensely
difficult period in their lives.”His Excellency Mr. Khalifa bin Jassim Al Kuwari, Director
General of Qatar Fund for Development, said:“The educational program jointly funded by QF and QFFD
provides high-quality technical training in the use of modern technologies which will enable Afghani female
students to acquire the skills and knowledge that will allow them to be appropriately qualified
and in demand within the labor market.“We hope that this program and the strategic partnership
between QFFD, QF, and the Digital Citizen Fund will renew hope for a new generation of Afghani girls.”Roya Mahboob, the founder of the Digital Citizen Fund,
parent organization of the Afghan Girls Robotics Team, said: “The team is excited and grateful for this
opportunity to study abroad.“Qatar Foundation’s Education City, a remarkable campus made
of up of leading academic and research institutions from around the world, is a place where the
girls can realize their full potential. The children of Afghanistan are eager and ready to continue making great
contributions to the world.”At QF and in collaboration with QFFD, the Afghan Dreamers
will be supported in continuing their high school studies and preparing for higher education, with
placements being based on their educational assessments and their goals. They will also have the
opportunity to keep enhancing their robotics skills through the facilities and expertise available at QF member
Hamad Bin Khalifa University, and QF partner universities Texas A&M University at Qatar
and Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar.The students travelled to Qatar after their parent
organization, the Digital Citizen Fund, worked with Qatar’s government to secure the necessary visas.
Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community
Development (QF) is a non-profit organization that supports Qatar on its
journey to becoming a diversified and sustainable economy. QF strives to serve
the people of Qatar and beyond by providing specialized programs across its
innovation-focused ecosystem of education, research and development, and
community development. QF was founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who shared the vision to provide Qatar with quality education.
