A number of girls in Afghanistan, despite restrictions on continuing their education, share what they have learned with their siblings at home. Salam Watandar’s findings from interviews with 21 girls in eight provinces show that preserving their knowledge, continuing their learning, and helping family members are among their main reasons for teaching at home.
The girls interviewed are between 17 and 32 years old. Thirteen of them are university students or graduates, while the other eight are school students. To teach their siblings, they use textbooks, notes from their school and university years, and, when necessary, resources available on the internet.
Nasrin Sadeqi, a 26-year-old economics student in Jawzjan, says she started teaching her sisters after she was unable to continue her education.
“When I could not continue my studies, I started teaching my sisters at home so that I could pass on what I had learned to them,” she says.
Khadija Hemmati, a 17-year-old from Daikundi and a Grade 8 student, says she has been teaching English to her siblings for more than two years.
“For more than two years, I have been teaching English to my two sisters and one brother at home every day for one to two hours after 8:00 a.m.,” she says.
Anila Noori, a resident of Jawzjan, also teaches other children at home in addition to teaching her sisters in order to maintain her knowledge. She says making good use of her time and helping children are her main reasons for teaching.
“I teach Dari, mathematics and the Holy Quran to my sisters, my nephews, several boys from the neighborhood, and my maternal and paternal cousins. Teaching them keeps me from wasting my time at home. It also allows me to pass on what I have learned to my family members and other children so that they do not waste their time either,” she says.
Muzhda Anwari, a 22-year-old engineering student at Kabul Polytechnic University, says that after she was unable to continue her education, she decided to teach her sisters and brothers.
“I teach different subjects because, over the years, I have taught science, computer, English and social science to students in Grades 4, 5 and 6. Now I teach all of these subjects,” she says.
Wajeda Sadat, a 32-year-old from Jurm district in Badakhshan and a graduate of social sciences from Kabul University, says she spends more than two hours every day teaching her siblings.
“When I started teaching at home, it was also very good for me. I spend more than two or two and a half hours every day. We work and study together,” she says.
Zarmina, a 22-year-old resident of Nuristan, says that in addition to doing housework and farming, she has been teaching her siblings for three years. She adds that despite her interest in teaching, a shortage of educational materials and a lack of access to the internet are among the major challenges she faces while teaching.
“I mostly help my family with housework and farming. In addition, I have been teaching my siblings for about three years. The major challenges are a shortage of books, a lack of access to the internet, and household responsibilities,” she says.
Sheeba Karimi, a 26-year-old journalism graduate from Badakhshan, says that a shortage of facilities and a lack of a suitable place for teaching are among the other challenges of teaching at home.
“A shortage of facilities, emotional pressure and a lack of a suitable space were among the main challenges. Despite this, the situation made me feel more responsible because I felt that if I did not help, my siblings would fall further behind in their education,” she says.
Meanwhile, experts say that girls who have been unable to continue their education can help families continue the learning process by teaching school subjects to their siblings at home. Jamaluddin Sulaimani, an education expert, says,
“In my view, it is good for girls who have been unable to continue their education to take responsibility for teaching children at home because they work hard and can better help their siblings with their education and upbringing.”
Psychologists also consider girls teaching their siblings a positive step. They say it can help them maintain their motivation, strengthen their self-confidence, and develop a sense of being useful. Zuhal Amirzada, a psychologist, says,
“First, feeling proud that she is helping her family and is able to pass on what she has learned to others can strengthen her self-confidence. Families should also provide these girls with emotional support because they need to know that their value does not depend only on what they do, the degree they earn, or the education they have received. They are valuable in themselves.”
Meanwhile, Shoaib Ahmadi, a sociologist, views girls teaching their siblings positively and says that this process helps increase the spirit of education and learning in families.
“The fact that girls who have been unable to continue their education have taken responsibility for teaching their siblings is a very positive point. This helps continue education in families; in other words, the spirit of learning remains alive in families. Since families play an important role, they should create opportunities, provide support, encourage them, and try to create an environment that allows these girls to continue teaching,” he adds.
Based on the findings of this report, the girls have spent part of their time teaching their siblings and other children in order to maintain their motivation and make better use of the opportunities available to them. By sharing what they have learned with others, these girls not only help children learn and develop, but also try to keep their own interest in education alive.
Reporter: Sharifa Qasemi
