KABUL: Every morning, after breakfast, Afghan teenager Prina Muradi, 16, turns on the television not for entertainment but to study maths, science, and literature. Since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, which led to a ban on secondary education for girls, Muradi has been unable to attend school.
Now, thanks to Begum TV, a satellite channel broadcasting Afghanistan’s entire curriculum from France, Muradi and other girls excluded from formal education are getting a chance to continue learning. The channel is the initiative of Swiss-Afghan media entrepreneur Hamida Aman, founder of the Begum Organization for Women (BOW).
The Begum Academy, launched by BOW last November, offers around 8,500 educational videos in Dari and Pashto. However, due to limited internet access, Begum TV was created in March to reach a wider audience through television. Aman emphasized that the channel’s mission is to support Afghan girls’ education without engaging in politics or challenging the Taliban’s regime.
Afghanistan remains the only country that excludes girls from secondary education, with the Taliban also restricting women’s university access and employment. New laws further curtail women’s freedoms, sparking international condemnation.
Muradi, who moved to Kabul in 2022 to attend underground schools, now studies at home with Begum TV. Despite challenges like power outages, she follows the same curriculum as her brothers and finds solace in her favorite subjects, maths and Dari literature.
The launch of Begum TV has been a lifeline for many girls, providing an alternative to the dire situation. The channel also airs entertainment, music, and talk shows that address women’s rights and mental health.
UNESCO media expert Antonia Eser-Ruperti acknowledged the growing importance of media in filling educational gaps, though noting it cannot replace formal classrooms. Begum TV, which operates from Paris with Afghan journalists, bypasses censorship to offer educational content and support to Afghan girls.
Plans are underway to launch an app for offline access to lessons and to organize exams that could facilitate further education opportunities. Despite the deteriorating quality of education in Afghanistan and widespread dropouts, Begum TV continues to provide hope and opportunities for Afghan girls like Muradi, who remain determined to pursue their education despite the obstacles.
