Education

Thousands of Afghan girls take university entrance exam weeks after deadly attack

By Salaam Times and AFP

Thousands of Afghan girls and women took the university entrance exam (Kankor) on October 13, two weeks after a bomber killed dozens of students preparing for the tests. Since the fall of the previous Afghan government last August, many girls have been banned from secondary education. [Daniel de Carteret/AFPTV/AFP]

KABUL -- Thousands of Afghan girls and women took the country's university entrance exam (Kankor) on Thursday (October 13), two weeks after a bomber killed dozens of students preparing for the tests.

Since August 2021, many girls have been banned from secondary education in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the country's collapsed economy has made university unaffordable to many, and some parents have pulled children from classes over safety fears.

On September 30, a suicide bomber burst into Kabul's Kaaj Higher Educational Centre, detonating himself in a segregated study hall and killing 53 students, 46 of whom were women.

Afghan female students take the entrance exam (Kankor) at Kabul University on October 13. [Wakil Kohsar/AFP]

Afghan female students take the entrance exam (Kankor) at Kabul University on October 13. [Wakil Kohsar/AFP]

An Afghan female guard frisks students before they sit for the university entrance exam (Kankor) at Kabul University on October 13. [Wakil Kohsar/AFP]

An Afghan female guard frisks students before they sit for the university entrance exam (Kankor) at Kabul University on October 13. [Wakil Kohsar/AFP]

Afghan female students stand in a queue after they arrive to take the university entrance exam (Kankor) at Kabul University on October 13. [Wakil Kohsar/AFP]

Afghan female students stand in a queue after they arrive to take the university entrance exam (Kankor) at Kabul University on October 13. [Wakil Kohsar/AFP]

Kaaj Higher Educational Centre coaches men and women ahead of the university entrance exam (Kankor).

The centre is located in Dasht-e-Barchi, in western Kabul, a predominantly Shia area that is home to the Hazara community, the target of some of Afghanistan's deadliest attacks.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack on Kaaj centre yet. However, most of the blast's victims were members of the minority Shia Hazara community, frequently targeted by the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) terrorist group.

Anxiety among students

"There is so much anxiety," said 18-year-old student Zahra, who took the university entrance exam on Thursday, and hopes to study computer science.

"Our minds are disturbed, always feeling that at any time there could be a blast," she told AFP ahead of the exam.

Dressed in black headscarves, girls queued for their entrance exams outside the prestigious Kabul University.

Men had taken their exams earlier in the day.

Students were thoroughly searched before being allowed to sit for the exam, while security forces patrolled the surrounding area and closed down nearby streets with roadblocks.

"This time all my worries are due to the security situation. Everyone is so scared," said student Madina. "Please pray that there are no blasts."

Students also told AFP that many of their classmates were staying away from the university, cancelling the test out of fear of an attack.

The university entrance exam, which all prospective university students in Afghanistan must take, was held for the first time since the fall of the previous government in August 2021.

However, with restrictions on girls' secondary education, fewer female students will qualify for the exam, as they may not complete high school studies.

"If there are no educated girls, then how could we have a developed society?" said one female student, declining to give her name.

But "nobody can stop us", said professor Yahya Homai.

"Nobody can take away the pen and book from our hands," he added.

Kabul University was attacked in November 2020 by gunmen who killed more than 20 students. Most of those killed were students.

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You girls must fight against this terrorist attack and in no way prevent your daughters from going to university. If you compare today with the years 1977 to 2021, during the 44 years, explosions or rockets were fired daily by the enemy at Kabul city and also at the provincial cities of Afghanistan. This is what we have seen ourselves, but neither the girls nor the boys of this land abandoned education. For many years, the enemies have tried to stop the education of girls and deprive them from getting education, but they have not succeeded in this ominous phenomenon. Afghan women are always loyal to their land and have not made any kind of deal with foreigners about their homeland and have always performed their duties honestly and are faithful to their homeland. I remember that in the years 1986 - 1995, 10-30 rockets hit the city of Kabul every day, but girls never stopped going to school or university. You girls think that these current conditions are very different from the conditions of the past years. You girls should not even think about leaving to go to university or school. You are the future builders of Afghanistan.

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This is excellent proof of my nation, as a month ago, they were sunken in red blood for getting an education, but now they are sitting in the entrance examination and writing the exam to make their future. The children of my nation are peace-loving, but the enemy is a coward; he does not show mercy against them and does not let them live happy life.

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The endeavor and courage of these women are truly admirable. Girls' participation in the entrance (Kaankor) examination indicates the determination of Afghan women in resisting ignorance and darkness. Furthermore, by participating in this exam, they hit a strong fist into the dirty mouth of ISIS and all the extremists who try to isolate women in the society and avert their improvement. May God rescue Afghanistan from the viciousness of ignorance and the demon by the blessing of the efforts of these brave women. Long live brave Afghan women, and long live wisdom and enlightenment.

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All this is not worthless while the Taliban group imposes new restrictions on Afghan women every day. It isolates women from the society every day. Women are not allowed to work in other sectors except for the health sector. The Taliban are even trying to restrict scientific fields for girls. What is all this trouble for? A girl must work hard for four years. Spend money. Receive the threats of life. Bear the buzzes of the Taliban. Pass the four-year university course with a hundred difficulties and, consequently, stay at home. Does it worth it? With such activities, the Taliban want to demonstrate that their enmity with women does not end, but some people still don't tend to accept the truth and try to hide the Taliban's enmity against the women though they can't. Taliban are women's enemies, and these savages will not be relieved until they thoroughly extract women from the society. So please broadcast the facts and don't campaign for the Taliban.

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Good news. May God happen as the restrictions on girls' education and women's work end soon. Salaam Times almost always publishes good news. However, they commit hypocrisy in not writing anything about the atrocities of Pakistan in Afghanistan and the support of terrorism by that country's army. Oh, I went to another side. I said it was good news, but you put the pictures in the wrong order. The first image should be: Afghan female students stand in a queue after they arrive to take the Kankor exam at Kabul University on October 13. [Wakil KOHSAR/AFP] Then followed by: An Afghan female guard checks students before they sit for the Kankor exam at Kabul University on October 13. [Wakil KOHSAR/AFP] And the third photo is the one sitting for the exam. Namely: Afghan female students take the Kankor exam at Kabul University on October 13. [Wakil KOHSAR/AFP] Wish you success.

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I am delighted to read this news. Education is the only way to solve our problems. The nations who have turned to education, their lives have improved. Hopefully, the rulers would have learned a lesson from today. This exam was taken when a deadly attack occurred at an educational center in Kabul. However, the enthusiasm of young people, especially girls, still shows that education is the only solution to get out of misery. The most important thing is that young people's consciousness has become stronger... I hope the new rulers will understand all this and open girls' schools as soon as possible, or history will record everything.

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