KABUL – As the countdown to this year’s university entrance examination ticks away, a cloud of uncertainty hovers over the fate of female students in Afghanistan. With less than two weeks remaining, the Taliban’s silence on whether girls will be permitted to participate intensifies the anguish of aspiring young women.

High school graduates, like 19-year-old Sadaf, express their frustration and desperation as they face the prospect of being denied access to education. “If we had been allowed to take the university entrance exam, I might now be in my first or second year at university. I wanted to get into medical school and become a good doctor for my community,” laments Sadaf, echoing the dreams of countless others.

Despite the National Examination Authority’s announcement of exam dates across various provinces, the glaring omission of guidelines for female participation raises grave concerns. While boys prepare to sit for the exams, girls are left in limbo, questioning the fate of their hard work and aspirations after twelve years of education.

The absence of educational opportunities for Afghan girls under Taliban rule has sparked global outcry. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hekmat Khalil Karzai, speaking at the Global Security Forum in Doha, highlighted the dire situation, emphasizing the critical role of education in steering youth away from peril. “Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls cannot go to school after grade six. They cannot go to universities, they cannot work, they cannot even have a business,” he solemnly declared.

The Taliban’s regressive policies since returning to power have systematically stripped girls and women of their fundamental rights, denying them access to education, university, and employment opportunities.

With the specter of exclusion looming large, the international community watches closely, urging the Taliban to heed the calls for inclusivity and uphold the right to education for all Afghan citizens, regardless of gender. As the nation braces for the upcoming university entrance exams, the fate of thousands of young women hangs in the balance, underscoring the urgent need for action to ensure equal access to education in Afghanistan’s tumultuous landscape.

Culled from Afghanistan Times