The European Union, the British Embassy in Kabul, and Malala Yousafzai, an education activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, have reacted to the continued ban on girls' education in the new academic year in Afghanistan.

The European Union stated that educated women are the architects of a stronger, more stable, and self-reliant country. 

As part of the "Education for All" campaign, which currently supports girls' education in Afghanistan, the EU said that learning is vital for Afghanistan’s long-term resilience and prosperity. 

The EU's statement reads: “Education For All is crucial for Afghanistan's long-term resilience and prosperity. Educated women, with their vital skills and knowledge, are the architects of a stronger, more stable & economically independent country. The EU supports their right to education!”

The British Embassy also called on the Islamic Emirate to lift the ban on education for girls above grade six. The embassy described the denial of education to another 400,000 girls in the new school year as a disaster for both the girls and Afghanistan.

The British Embassy said that education is not a privilege but a right. 

It further stated: “As another new school year starts in Afghanistan, 400,000 more girls will be denied education, making a total of 2.2 million. This is a tragedy for them and their country. Education is a right not a privilege. We urge the Taliban to lift the ban.”

“What we women want is for closed doors to be opened, for our rights in Afghan society to be recognized, and for restrictions to be eased. What we seek is the reopening of schools and universities,” said Tafsir Syaposh, a women’s rights activist.

“The right to education and attending school should be granted to them [the girls], because it is obligatory for both men and women to seek knowledge. Our society needs doctors, teachers, and engineers. Overall, we need educated individuals in every field,” said Ansharah Rahmani, a teacher at one of the schools.

Meanwhile, Malala Yousafzai, an education activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner also called the continued ban on Afghan girls’ education an injustice in a message directed at Afghan girls.
    
In her message, Malala wrote: “Dear girls in Afghanistan, you should be in school today, sitting at your desk, opening your books, imagining the possibilities your future holds. Instead, you wake up each morning to a world that tells you that your future does not belong to you.”

This comes as the Ministry of Education announced last Thursday the start of the academic year for boys and for girls below grade six, but made no mention of education for girls above grade six.