EU Reaffirms Support for Education in Afghanistan Amid Taliban Restrictions
As Afghanistan faces one of the most critical education crises in the world, the European Union has reiterated its commitment to supporting Afghan students and teachers. In a statement marking World Science Day, the EU emphasized that backing education in Afghanistan remains a long-standing priority for the bloc.
According to the EU, education is a fundamental pillar for achieving lasting peace, a self-reliant future, and innovative development for the Afghan people. EU officials noted that investing in science and knowledge not only paves the way for economic progress but also helps promote social justice and build societal capacity.
World Science Day, established by UNESCO to promote science in the service of peace and development, comes this year as the Taliban administration continues to ban education for millions of Afghan girls and women.
Reports indicate that since the Taliban’s return to power, girls above grade six have been barred from attending school. Restrictions have since tightened, and women are now prohibited from attending higher education institutions altogether.
Many girls and students who have been denied access to education report growing despair and uncertainty about their futures. One student, who requested anonymity, said: “The Taliban’s restrictions have put both our academic and professional futures in serious jeopardy.” Another student from Farah province added: “Without education, I cannot envision a bright and hopeful future.”
The United Nations previously warned that the continued ban on girls’ education could cost Afghanistan up to $9.6 billion in economic losses by 2066—an amount estimated to be equivalent to two-thirds of the country’s current GDP.
As the international community observes World Science Day to promote peace and progress, the Taliban’s continued restrictive policies on education threaten to further darken Afghanistan’s future.
