Date: 07/09/1403

Local sources in Bamyan Province report that the Taliban's Department of Education in the province has closed accelerated classes for female students. A local source in Bamyan stated that Enayatullah Sahar, the Taliban-appointed head of education in the province, issued an order yesterday (Tuesday, November 26) instructing education department officials to suspend all accelerated classes supported by international organizations, until further notice. According to a source from Rukhshana Media, accelerated or fast-track classes are designed for girls who have missed school and are now older than the standard school age. These students follow a curriculum that allows them to complete two academic grades in one year. These classes are typically held in rural areas and are financially supported by international organizations, including UNICEF. The source added that around 2,000 female students in Bamyan were attending these classes, most of whom were in grades 4 and 5. The classes were closed due to the presence of female students and the financial support provided by UNICEF.

The reported order issued by Enayatullah Sahar, head of the Taliban’s Department of Education in Bamyan Province, to suspend accelerated classes for girls reflects the targeted dismantling of alternative education pathways for female students. By closing fast-track classes specifically designed for girls who have missed years of schooling—and citing the presence of female students and UNICEF support as grounds—the Taliban eliminate one of the few remaining mechanisms for girls to re-enter education. The decision demonstrates how gender-based exclusion is enforced not only through blanket bans but by systematically shutting down remedial and donor-supported programs that mitigate long-term educational harm.