By: Zahra, Grade 12
Translated by: Mohammad Sakhi Rezaie
It doesn’t matter how wide the sky is; but it matters how high you may fly. My story started 12 years ago when I put my feet on the school campus. School looked as a d. ream for me as 7-year-old girl. It was where hundreds of girls like me sought hope for a prosperous future. For me, school period was one of the most valued periods of my life. Because I learnt the alphabet of the life on the blackboard of the classroom for a bright future. But the main story started from grade 7 onward. When I was announced as the top student in the class with a new dream to become a doctor and treat fairly the people. However, my family, and especially my mother and father, they have grown the seeds of such a dream in me; Parents are those heroes who are never tired of hardworking to shape a better future for their children. When I looked at my parents, I was disproportionately motivated to work hard and study. I was always dreamed to become a doctor. To open a hospital and treat the patients for free in order they do not lose hope for a life due to poverty and inability to pay for medicine.
Life looked usual for me until grade 9 and it did not matter whether our economic situation was good and I studied in the most difficult situations; while Lalwasarjangal cod weather is famous, I did not care about it; because I had set specific goals for my future and was highly determined to pursue and realize them. I had just started grade 10 when everything in my life changed; When Covid 19 shaken the world and undermined the scientific knowledge of the human being. In a short time, schools, airports, streets, parks and all public spaces were closed on the people. Quarantine, for the first time, was a reason to be far from school and stay at home; but I continued studying my lessons. Because I had planned when the school was open for the students, to grade 12 while I had access to very limited resources, I studied hard and obtained good results and could pass the exams of grade 10. But in grade 11, the path of my life totally changed; the Republican system collapsed and Taliban suspended school on girls and I was isolated at home. I was worried about my future and impatiently waiting to hear the news that school suspension on girls have been removed. But, I tried to be hopeful and continued my efforts to study for a better future. But what shattered my dreams was the suspension of girls schools for an unknown period. Though school doors were closed on girls in 2022, I hoped to skip grade 12 and participate in the national entrance exam. As a result, I travelled to Kabul to study and have a better result in national entrance exam. It nearly took one year planning to study at one of the best educational centers which I always dreamed studying at it. I quarreled at home for coming to Kabul. I came to Kabul in the face of difficult situation, bad economic situation and the political uncertainty in the counter. I came to Kabul and reregistered in preparatory entrance exams. There were many challenges on the way to my goal. The first problem was finding a room; because the landlords did not rent houses for the girls without their guardians. Finally, I and my five friends could find a house paying 5000 afs as a guarantee and paying 5000 afs in advance as the rent for each month. After such struggles, I registered at an educational center in Kabul and started studying the preparatory exam course with enthusiasm. In less a week, Taliban suspended schools, universities and educational centers for girls. Next day, when I went to the educational center, the guards of the educational center did not allow the girls told us the education of the girls have been suspended for the second matter by Taliban. I do not know how I returned home; the world looked like the doomed day and I thought all my dreams have gone with the wind. The following days, we went until the door of the educational center, but the guards did not allow us. After struggling for several days and getting no result to continue our preparatory exam class, we were disappointed and asked the course to pay back our fees. But the course refused paying our fees and told us that suspending the educational centers on girls was not decided by the courses, but decided by Taliban Take Care government. Struggling with such disappointments, there were rumors that there will be online classes for the girls. While it cost us more including the internet fees and low quality of education but it was the only hope for us. One week passed in such uncertainty and then we faced another serious problem. We were informed that Taliban will punish girls without their guardians if they have rented a house or room. As a result, I was forced to return back home from Kabul. When I think about the problems and costs my poor family experienced for me to study, I feel ashamed and guilty.
I may be able to tolerate all these hardships but quitting my education is something I neither like nor is acceptable for me. What is our sin? We only want to continue our education and build our country. Is it a big sin? Why we shall be deprived of our basic human rights? Can a society progress while half of its members are not allowed to study and work? These are questions that I have no answer for them now. But imagining the continuation of such suspensions drive me and people like me mad.
I do not know how long they will keep the birds full of hope and dream of flying in the cages and suppress them?
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