Afghan girls arrive to attend class on the first day of new academic year in Herat city, western Afghanistan, March 23, 2022.(Photo: Xinhua)

 

Afghan girls arrive to attend class on the first day of new academic year in Herat city, western Afghanistan, March 23, 2022.(Photo: Xinhua)

 
The Ministry of Education of Afghanistan's caretaker government on Wednesday started the new educational year as millions of Afghan children head to schools, the state-run news agency reported.

According to the Bakhtar News Agency, boy students from grade one to grade 12 and girls from grade one to grade six will attend their classes after the academic year started. However, female students in girls' secondary schools and high schools were denied from attending schools until further notice.

"Whenever girls' school uniforms are designed in accordance with Sharia, Afghan customs and culture, then the girls' schools would be reopened after order of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's leadership," the report said.

Since the Taliban's takeover of the power of the country on Aug. 15, 2021, public girls' schools and high schools had remained closed in most of the country's 34 provinces. However, female students returned to their classes in a few provinces before the end of last academic year.