Afghan Warrior

After 11 long years, the first group of 23 girls completed their high school education in the southern province of Kandahar last week. These 23 girls graduated from Zarghona High School in Kandahar City, a former stronghold of the Taliban who had banned female education in Afghanistan



These are the first girls to graduate Khandahar City, because during the civil war and Mujahideen government the girls school was closed, due to the unstable security situation in the Region. Safi Ama Jan, head of the Women Affairs Department, said this graduation of the girls was a great success, and is a new beginning for girls education after years of war and violence. She also said that she was very glad because these (female) graduates were now in a postition to apply for government jobs; and also able to pursue higher education at university level. Female education is still a problem in the conservative south.



Families have stated many reasons why their daughters cannot attend school. There are still no schools for girls in some districts, and is very difficult and expensive to transport their daughters from outlaying villages into cities. In other provinces such as Herat and Mazer-e-Sharif hundreds of girls attend school and graduate every year. In the capital city of Kabul thousands of girls attend school and graduate every year. In Kabul there are many schools for girls, and the bussing transportation for students is very good.



We hope that the govenment will build more schools in rural areas of Afghanistan so that a larger part of the population will have access to schools and education. The main key to our advancement as a country is to educate our people as much as possible.