Girls from secondary schools who have been banned by the Islamic Emirate to attend their classes have continued their education in personal levels, at home and with their classmates, as some students described.

However, the girls said they are not sure about having a promising future due to being away from schooling.

“They always say that it starts this month or the next month. They deceive us and we want them to inform us correctly when the schools will reopen. Why should we be deprived of schoolin?” asked Yalda, a student.

“We came here because we have witnessed that many girls have faced psychological problems for being away from school. We come here to study learn something to become an effective person in future,” said Arezo, another student.

The students asked the Islamic Emirate to reopen schools as soon as possible.

“We ask the Islamic Emirate to reopen schools for all girls so that we can continue our education,” said Sana, a student.

“They (officials) should understand the situation of those girls who are away from school and are disappointed. We should get educated and make progress in our country,” said Sahar, another student.

Meanwhile, the adviser to the Ministry of Energy and Water, Farooq Azam, said during a press conference that if girls’ schools are not reopened, the international community will not recognize the Islamic Emirate in the next 20 years.

“If this problem is not resolved, the Islamic Emirate won’t be recognized by the West in 20 years. The Emirate is having this issue. Girls have a right to education, and you should find a mechanism to provide it in whatever clothing and according to Islamic principles,” Azam said.
 
“If this continues, it will cause the closure of universities as well because it will break the chain and girls will no longer be able to continue their higher education,” said Khadija Siddiqi, a women’s rights activist.

Secondary schools are closed for nearly a year. The Islamic Emirate has vowed to announce a new mechanism for the return of girls to secondary schools.