Secret School in Afghanistan: Daughters of Taliban Members Also Studied Behind Closed Doors

Secret School in Afghanistan: Daughters of Taliban Members Also Studied Behind Closed Doors

Kabul Times News

Susanna Fioretti, founder of the Italian aid organization "Nove Caring Humans," stated that following the Taliban's return to power, she established a secret school for girls in Afghanistan—a school where, as she later discovered, the daughters of several Taliban members were also studying.

In an interview with the Italian newspaper *Corriere della Sera*, Fioretti explained that after the ban on girls' education beyond the sixth grade and the restrictions placed on women's higher education, she decided to facilitate secret schooling for girls.

According to her, classes were held in a room that also contained sewing machines. In the event of a Taliban inspection, the plan was to hide the books and pens, while the students would pretend to be engaged in sewing.

Fioretti added that during the first two years, Taliban forces did not visit the location for inspections. She later learned that the daughters of several Taliban members were among the students. She noted that the parents of these girls wanted their children to continue their education.

Highlighting the risks involved in operating the school, she remarked that the exposure of its location could have had serious consequences for both the organizers and the students.

Fioretti also recounted a meeting with a high-ranking Taliban official, during which she criticized the group's policies. In response, the official characterized her perspective as "colonialist."

Since returning to power, the Taliban have imposed extensive restrictions on the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan. Including deprivation of secondary and higher education, employment restrictions, and the limitation of their participation in public life.