Taliban push women to enter religious schoolsーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS

Key Concepts

• Madrasa: Traditional Islamic educational institutions focused on religious studies, specifically the Quran and Islamic law.
• Secondary Education Ban: The Taliban policy prohibiting girls and women from attending school beyond the elementary level.
• Conditional Aid: The practice of providing humanitarian assistance (food/supplies) contingent upon participation in Taliban-sanctioned religious education.
• Systemic Exclusion: The deliberate removal of women from secular professional paths (e.g., medicine) in favor of religious vocational training.

The State of Education in Taliban-Controlled Afghanistan

Since the Taliban regained power in 2021, the educational landscape for Afghan women has undergone a radical transformation. The regime has effectively banned girls from secondary and higher education, leaving approximately 2.2 million females without access to formal schooling. In place of secular education, the Taliban has prioritized the expansion of madrasas.

The Expansion of Madrasas

The Taliban has initiated a nationwide "madrasa building spree," resulting in over 20,000 of these institutions currently operating across the country. Unlike traditional madrasas in some parts of the world that may incorporate subjects like mathematics or science, Taliban-run madrasas are strictly limited to:

• Quranic Recitation: Intensive training in memorizing the Quran with precise pronunciation.
• Religious Law: Lessons based exclusively on the Taliban’s specific interpretation of Islamic law.

Case Study: Herat Province

A report from a madrasa in Herat province, established three years ago, highlights the current reality for female students aged 12 to 18. With roughly 300 students, the curriculum is entirely focused on religious indoctrination. Supporters of the system argue that these institutions are necessary for women to understand their "beliefs and religious rules."

Socio-Economic Coercion

The transition to religious education is not merely a policy shift but is enforced through economic leverage. Afghanistan is currently facing a severe economic crisis, and the Taliban utilizes humanitarian aid as a tool for compliance:

• Conditional Assistance: Impoverished families are often required to send their children to madrasas to qualify for food aid, such as wheat and rice.
• Impact on Aspirations: The case of 15-year-old Arezo Mohammadi illustrates the human cost. Following the death of her father and the prohibition of her mother from working, the family relies on Taliban-provided aid. Arezo, who once aspired to be a doctor, has been forced to abandon her professional goals, stating, "The only path left is to become a professional reciter of the Quran."

Conclusion and Implications

The Taliban’s educational strategy represents a systematic dismantling of secular opportunities for women. By replacing formal schooling with a narrow religious curriculum and leveraging economic desperation to ensure attendance, the regime is effectively narrowing the future trajectory of Afghan women. This policy not only denies women professional agency—such as the ability to practice medicine—but also creates a long-term structural barrier to the country's development.