World Teachers’ Day, but a Day of Mourning and Darkness for Women Teachers in Afghanistan Under the Taliban’s Rule

Ebrahim Noroozi / AP Photo — via NPR

While the world, on October 5, celebrates World Teachers’ Day and honors the key role of educators in shaping the future of generations, in Afghanistan, this day has turned into a painful and tragic story.

In a country where, four years into Taliban rule, the doors of schools and universities remain closed, especially to girls, thousands of teachers, particularly women, have lost their jobs, their security, and their hope.

Aziza Fateh, one of the women teachers in Nimroz province, told Zan News with bitterness:

“The Taliban have turned our lives into hell. Where is Teachers’ Day? We should be mourning our darkness and misery, not celebrating Teachers’ Day.”

She is among hundreds of women who for years have dedicated themselves to educating children, but with the closure of schools, she has not only lost her job but is also struggling with severe economic challenges.

In the north of the country, the situation is equally grim. Farida Habibi, a university professor in Balkh province, recalls the days when she proudly educated her students as if they were her own children. But today, there are no classrooms and no day left to celebrate.

“For a few years, we were happy to be teachers, to educate students. They were all like my own children. But now, Teachers’ Day for us in Afghanistan is a day of mourning.”

Civil activists have also raised concerns about the current situation. Fawzia Wahdat, one of the advocates for education, emphasizing the reopening of schools and universities for girls, says:

“The Taliban must think about the progress of the country. Without education, there is no imaginable future for Afghanistan.”

Despite the global celebration of Teachers’ Day, women teachers in Afghanistan have not only been deprived of the right to teaching but have also been denied even a simple opportunity to be appreciated for their efforts. What remains are the memories of classrooms that no longer exist and a hope that breathes weakly under the heavy weight of restrictions.