In defiance of the Taliban's ban on education for girls, locals in one province of Afghanistan have started reopening high schools.
Residents and rights activists in Paktia province told the ABC at least four secondary schools for girls in the provincial capital, Gardez, and one more in Samkani district have been reopened by local academic staff and elders.
"The communities had become fed-up with this [ban on girls’ education] and decided to face whatever consequences it might bring," Paktia resident Mohammad Sidiq told the ABC.
A local Taliban official also confirmed the schools had reopened.
"The administrators of these schools asked the students to come back to school and the girls' high schools are open," Mawlawi Khaliqyar Ahmadzai, head of Paktia's culture and information department, said in a video statement.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told reporters in Kabul a probe was underway to see who ordered the reopening of the girls schools.
"Whenever these schools are going to be allowed to reopen, they will be opened simultaneously in all provinces and the ministry of education will make the announcement," he said.
Upon returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban shut the country's secondary schools for girls but promised to reopen them without giving a specific date.
Shafiqa Khpalwak, one of Afghanistan’s leading women's and girls' rights activists and a native resident of Paktia province, told the ABC the ban had no cultural or religious justification.
Women and girls continued to attend schools and participate in political, social and economic activities in other Islamic countries around the globe, she said.
"The Taliban failed to provide a valid explanation about not allowing girls to go to schools, because there is not a single reason in Islam and the Afghan culture to ban girls from getting education – in fact both encourage and oblige women just like men to seek knowledge," she said.
"This move [to reopen schools] is also a good example of the fact that the ban on girls schools is solely the Taliban’s decision and not supported by the population from the Pashtun, Tajik or Hazara communities."
Afghans taking the initiative
Melbourne-based Ezat Ullah, a native of Paktia's neighbouring Khost province in Afghanistan, told the ABC the relative peace and development in the past two decades during the international presence had made Afghans realise the worth of education.
"Even before the reopening of the girls’ schools in Pakia, some community leaders took the initiative of continuing to educate girls at homes and other places away from the eyes of the Taliban," Mr Ullah said.
He added that the Australian government and other members of the international community should continue to push the Taliban on girls' education as the group desperately seeks international recognition.
