Afghan Women Turn to Online Learning as Taliban Restricts Education

As the Taliban administration continues to restrict education for women and girls in Afghanistan, many are turning to online learning as a last resort.

However, they are facing challenges such as power cuts, slow internet speeds, and the high cost of computers and wifi. Despite these challenges, the online school Rumi Academy has seen its enrollment of mostly female students rise from about 50 to over 500 since the Taliban took over in 2021. The school has had hundreds more applications but cannot enroll them due to a lack of funds.

The Seattle-based University of the People has received over 15,000 applications from Afghan women and girls since the Taliban takeover. Online schools are trying their best to accommodate students, allowing them to attend lectures at any time and granting extensions for assignments and exams when students face connection problems.

Afghanistan’s internet speeds are among the slowest in the world, with mobile internet being the slowest of 137 countries and fixed internet being the second slowest of 180 countries. Some Afghans are calling on Elon Musk to introduce Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, to Afghanistan. However, SpaceX has not responded to requests for comment. Despite these challenges, Afghan women remain determined to pursue their dreams and persevere through years of war and conflict. “We still have dreams and we will not give up, ever,” says one student, Sofia.

Staff Reporter