The first deputy of the Prime Minister, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, made hopeful remarks about the pending decision over education for female students beyond grade six, but he did not shed light on the status of the decision process.

The first Deputy Prime Minister in a visit to the western province of Farah responded to a question about girls' schools:

“A good action will happen in this regard. There may be goodness in this regard,” he said. 

This comes as the Ministry of Education (MoE) said that whenever the leadership of the Islamic Emirate makes the final decision, the MoE is ready to reopen schools for girls in grade 7-12. 

“This is in the authority of the Islamic Emirate’s leadership. The Ministry of Education has made preparations—whenever the leadership of the Islamic Emirate orders, the schools for female students from grade 7-12 will be reopened,” said Aziz Ahmad Riyan, a spokesman of the MoE.  

The Islamic Emirate’s decision to close schools for girls above grade six continues to face widespread criticism inside and outside Afghanistan.  

“We have sent the plan for the reopening of girls' schools to the leadership of the Islamic Emirate. On 2 of Hamal (March 23), we were ordered by the office of the Islamic Emirate’s leadership to suspend the girls classes from grade 7-12 for a temporary period of time and until a general decision is made. As long as I know, efforts are underway in this regard,” Riyan said.  

Despite pressure on the Islamic Emirate by the international community to reopen girls’ schools, the female students above grade six have yet to be allowed to attend their schools.