Married Girls and Education

Written by: Samira Haleemzai

Approximately 10 million children and adolescents attend school in Afghanistan, about 40% of them are girls. Some girls get married after finishing education, but of them get married at small age; they stay away from school and face some problems. AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some people about this issue

A woman, a resident of Parwan province says, “I was a school student when they married me and I was not able to continue my school. Now I could not help my children in school lessons

Maryam, a resident of Kabul city says, “My cousin was an intelligent student. When she was a grade-ninth student, she got married. When she had been visiting me that I was going to school, she was getting very upset that why she could not go to school and could not complete her education

Several girls who could not complete their school might suffer severe depression.

A psychologist, Professor Munir Nisar talks about this issue, “The number of girls who could not complete their education before their marriages, are always thinking about their education and when they see their classmates are continuing their education, they face psychological problems. If they are not treated on time, they might suffer from depression and they would lose their selves' confidence

How could the family of father-in-law provides conditions for the education of these girls?

Muhammad Shafiq, a resident of Kabul city says, “My cousin was a university student, and some people were proposing her. The father of the girl (my uncle) said to them that if they want to marry his daughter, they should allow her to complete her education. They accepted. She passed University in excellent marks and now she is teaching in the same university. She was also helping her husband’s sisters in school lessons

Suhaila, a resident of Maidan-Wardak province says, “When I got married, it was my third year of university. My husband and mother-in-law were helping me in house chores and I completed my education. Now I have a good job and get enough salary and help my family and we have a happy life.”