After months, Afghanistan's Herat opens girls' schools for classes 7-12

Schools for girls in Afghanistan's Herat have now reopened, after being shut for nearly three months after the Taliban took control of the country, reported local media.

For the past several months only girls up to grade 6 were allowed; now girls and young women in grades 7-12 are allowed to attend school in Herat, reported TOLOnews citing an elected council of Herat teachers.

It came after a month of discussions among the council, officials of the girls' schools and the Taliban's local officials in Herat.

With the decision, nearly 3,00,000 more girls will be allowed to continue their education, according to the council.

Previously, girl students from grades 1 to 6 were going to school, but now girls from grades 7 to 12 also go to schools, said the head of the council, Mohammad Sabir, adding, before this decision, 2,50,000 to 3,00,000 girls were deprived of education

Girls students have expressed their happiness over the reopening of the schools.

"During the time that schools were closed and we could not attend our lessons, we were very disappointed," said Maisara Wafa, a student of grade 11. "With the opening of schools, we have found new hope," she added.

( With inputs from ANI )