Taliban Cuts 90 Female Teaching Posts in Nangarhar Literacy Centers

Documents obtained by media outlets reveal that the Taliban’s Education Department in Nangarhar province has eliminated 90 female teaching positions in literacy programs without providing a clear reason. The decision, finalized on September 24 with the circulation of an official list to the relevant schools, exclusively targeted women teachers.

Local sources from the provincial education office confirmed on Saturday, September 27, that the list of dismissed teachers had been handed over to literacy school administrations. One dismissed teacher said the school principal informed them their employment had ended, with all female instructors removed from their posts.

Reports indicate that this process is ongoing in other provinces as well, with women educators being systematically excluded from literacy programs. No alternative plan for education in these centers has been announced.

Literacy schools, largely supported by international organizations, aim to provide education for children and adults who have been unable to attend formal schools due to poverty or difficult circumstances. These centers have been especially vital in underserved areas.

Under the previous Afghan government, extensive literacy programs for women were launched under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Education’s Literacy Department, reaching millions of learners.

The Taliban’s continued removal of women from education—ranging from schools and universities to public offices—has sparked widespread domestic and international condemnation. To date, the Taliban has offered no official explanation for the dismissals in Nangarhar.