Toronto-based educator Hazrat Wahriz is operating secret and virtual classrooms to support Afghan girls denied schooling by the Taliban. Through his non-profit, Wahriz provides a vital educationnal lifeline to thousands of young women facing systematic exclusion.
The 2 .4 million girls excluded from Afghan classroooms
A recent UNESCO report highlights a staggering educational crisis in Afghanistan, estimating that 2.4 million girls are currently barred from secondary education. This number is projected to climb to four million by the year 2030 as the Taliban regime continues to enforce its restrictive policies. The Taliban has implemented what international human rights groups describe as a system of gender apartheid, issuing more than 100 edicts that target women.
These mandates restrict women's rights to work, travel freely, and access the very classrooms that were once a cornerstone of Afghan society. The severity of the situation is underscored by the fact that the Taliban's top leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, and chief justice, Abdul Hakim Haqqani, are wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity regarding their treatment of women and girls.
Hazrat Wahriz and the Google Meet literature sessions
Toronto-based poet and educator Hazrat Wahriz is utilizing digital tools to bypass these restrictions through his non-profit, the Network of Community Schools for Girls in Afghanistan. As reported in the source, Wahriz hosts 90-minute literature lessons via Google Meet, allowing students from various parts of Afghanistan to engage in critical discussions from the safety of their homes. During one recent session, author Shams Erfan joined the virtual class to encourage the women to continue reading and protesting.
Beyond these virtual sessions, Wahriz’s organization manages a network of over 1,600 girls studying in underground classrooms. These secret learning centers are operated by female teachers who have converted their private residences into makeshift schools. Despite the immense personnal risk, these students continue to study math, physics, chemistry, and history to combat what Wahriz describes as the darkness of the current regime.
A repeat of the 1990s educational blackout
The current crackdown mirrors the educational restrictions imposed during the Taliban's first period of rule in the late 1990s. Murwarid Ziayee, a woman who experienced the 1996 closure of Kabul University, serves as a testament to the resilience required to survive such eras; she evventually completed her studies through self-study and underground non-profit work. This historical parallel highlights the cyclical nature of the struggle for women's rights in the region.
The stakes for modern students remain incredibly high, as attending secondary or higher education now constitutes a violation of the group's strict religious code.. the source notes that those caught defying these bans face severe consequences, including the risk of imprisonment or physical violence. This follows decades of international involvement, including a 13-year Canadian NATO mission and over $143 million in Canadian aid for education and health-care programs provided in the last five years.
The unverified identities of UK donors and underground teachers
While the Network of Community Schools for Girls in Afghanistan provides a vital service, several details regarding its operations remain unverified. the source mentions that funding is provided by "kind-hearted people" and an unnamed organization based in the United Kingdom,leaving the specific identities of these financial supporters unknown. This lack of transparency is common in high-risk humanitarian work, but it leaves the long-term stability of the network in question.
Furthermore, the exact methods used to protect the 1,600 students in underground classrooms from Taliban detection are not detailed. As the regime continues to target women's rights, the question remains how these decentralized networks can maintain security for both the teachers and the students. While Wahriz describes his efforts as a "small drop in the desert," the survival of these students depends on the continued anonymity of their locations and supporters.
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