Education International

ATROAfghan Teachers' Rights Observatory

Testimony

Shahira, a female teacher for 3 years in a secondary school in Balkh

I have been teaching English, history, geography, and Dari in this school as a volunteer for three years. Despite not receiving salary, I always tried to be able to convey what I know to others. While I am passionate about teaching, I aspire to secure regular pay, improved working conditions, and job security.

In addition to financial considerations, I think that teachers should be able to participate in educational policy decision making. Teachers should have the right to join a professional association or education union and the union should have a legal right to negotiate on behalf of teachers on all professional matters, on professional autonomy and freedom.

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Roya, a female teacher in a boys’ school in the Badakhashan province

Unfortunately, our educational environment lacks basic facilities and textbooks. Beyond the classroom, families neglect the division of household chores, and students, engaged in work outside school, struggle to focus on their studies.

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Zuhal was a female teacher for 10 years in a girls’ school in Kabul

We do not have a good social and educational life: my daughters are at home, and I am not allowed to teach. We are deprived of our legal rights.

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Anonymous, Male Teacher

Where the Taliban ruled, there were no schools at all, and if there were, only boys were allowed to go to school and girls were deprived.

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