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By Farzana Sarwari

In the early mornings of Kabul, kindergartens once buzzed with the innocent laughter of children and the soft guidance of women educators. These spaces — located inside schools and hospitals — were run by compassionate and skilled women who not only nurtured the young but symbolized hope for an inclusive Afghan society.

That hope is now dimming.

In a recent move by the Taliban’s Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, nearly 120 women — including teachers and staff — have been dismissed from their roles in kindergartens across Kabul. An internal list obtained by Etilaat Roz records 92 names, but insiders say the actual number reaches 117. Most of these women had not received salaries for three months prior to their termination. The dismissals are part of a wider, targeted campaign of exclusion, disproportionately affecting women in education.

Zahra Ahmadi, who served for 15 years at a kindergarten inside Esteqlal Hospital, says she was removed without explanation. “I gave my life to those children,” she says. “One morning I arrived, and the door was closed to me. No letter, no thank you — only silence. I still remember the little girl who hugged me every day. Her voice echoes in my sleep.”

Maryam Naseri, a young administrative worker at a girls’ school kindergarten, tells a similar story. “I was the only breadwinner in my family. My father is ill, my mother is elderly. That small salary kept us alive. When I asked for a reason, they told me plainly: ‘A woman belongs at home.’ I felt erased — like I never mattered.”

Nahid Rezai, an experienced educator with a master’s degree, now teaches neighborhood girls from her home. “They removed me from my job, but they can’t silence my voice,” she says. “Education is not a building. It is a right. And we will continue to teach — quietly, if we must.”

This is not an isolated incident. Earlier this month, nearly 40 female lecturers with advanced degrees were dismissed from Badakhshan University. Analysts and human rights advocates warn that these moves are part of a calculated, ideological effort by the Taliban to erase women from public and intellectual life.

While the courtyards of kindergartens grow quiet, the determination of Afghan women refuses to die. In living rooms, basements, and secret schools, education continues — carried on the shoulders of those who were told they no longer belong.

 

Note: Due to security concerns, all names used in this report — including that of the reporter, Farzana Sarwari — are pseudonyms. The identities of the women have been protected to ensure their safety under Taliban rule.