KABUL – Amidst the challenging circumstances in Afghanistan, its youth are facing a harrowing reality under the Taliban’s oppressive rule. Two decades of American influence had given them hope for a brighter future, but the Taliban has shattered those dreams, turning education into a mockery.

For many, education is like a window to the world, a sentiment echoed by an Afghan woman who is a quantum researcher and essayist. She mourns for the boys and girls in her homeland who are now trapped in the Taliban’s darkness, denied the right to pursue intellectual freedom.

A recent Human Rights Watch report highlights the irreversible harm the Taliban has inflicted on the education of Afghan boys, often overlooked in media narratives. The group is taking control of schools, erasing the rich and diverse cultural fabric of the country. Lessons on arts, sports, civics, and even images of animals and humans are being removed. The Taliban is imposing its narrow vision, seeking to instill violence, intolerance, and extremism in young minds.

Reports indicate that boys are being singled out for owning a cellphone, having a “westernized” haircut, or wearing colorful clothes. They face public humiliation, with their hair cut and subjected to physical punishment. As a result, dreams of higher education are crushed, and the future of many young Afghans is bleak.

In the global conversation about Afghanistan, the plight of boys often goes unnoticed. While the Taliban’s rules are harsher for girls, the suffering of boys in a violent and dogmatic educational environment is equally distressing.

The international community must not turn a blind eye to the struggles of Afghan youth. While political negotiations continue, there is a call to action to use the internet as a tool to aid the children of Afghanistan. Crafting a curriculum that provides liberal education, even in the face of Taliban opposition, is crucial. By creating opportunities for education, we can help Afghan youth resist the darkness that surrounds them.

As the world watches Afghanistan, it is essential to stand in solidarity with the youth and support their right to education, which forms the foundation of peace and development. The international community must not allow the Taliban to extinguish the light of knowledge in the minds of Afghan youth. Now, more than ever, they need assistance to open the windows to the world and survive these dark times.

Culled from Afghanistan Times