Taliban Suspend Education for Girls Over 12 at Kabul Deaf Institute

DID Press: Taliban have suspended the education of girls over the age of 12 at the Kabul Institute for Deaf People, according to families and social activists, in another restriction affecting access to education for girls with disabilities. The Taliban’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) reportedly issued a notice instructing families not to send girls over 12 to the institute.

According to the reports, the directive was sent to the institute on Tuesday, September 15, and orders the suspension of education for girls above the age of 12 until further notice. Hasht-e Subh reported that the notice referred to a verbal order from the Taliban’s technical and vocational education authority.

The Kabul Institute for Deaf People is listed by the Taliban-run TVETA as a special-education institution in Kabul’s 15th district.

Families and social activists have expressed concern that the measure will further reduce educational opportunities for deaf girls. The restriction is particularly significant because students with disabilities already face additional barriers to accessing education.

The move comes amid broader restrictions on girls’ education in Afghanistan. Girls have been barred from formal secondary education beyond the sixth grade since 2021, while access to higher education for women and girls has also been suspended.

Activists warn that extending educational restrictions to specialized institutions could deepen the educational exclusion of children with disabilities and further limit their opportunities for learning and social participation.