On June 29, the event will explore how education for Afghan girls is currently sustained not by institutional systems, but through dedication, resilience, and technological ingenuity.
A 13-minute documentary will offer an intimate look at LEARN Afghan’s community-led educational model for girls excluded from the formal school system. From the perspectives of female teachers and students, the film documents educational practices developed under severe political and social constraints. It shows how learning is sustained through low-tech, offline infrastructures, such as homeschooling, radio-based education, and delivering content via SIM cards.
"Girls' education in Afghanistan has become one of the most contentious issues at the intersection of political oppression, global responsibility, and educational equity. When formal systems collapse or actively exclude, learning is sustained through activism-driven educational infrastructures," says Professor Frank J. Müller, an education specialist from the University of Bremen who organized the event.
The event, "Underground Schools for Girls in Afghanistan," positions activist-led education as a crucial case study for inclusion research. It raises fundamental questions about the relationship between research, attitudes, and activism. What does inclusion mean when access to education depends on parallel structures rather than institutional reforms? How can normative commitments to educational participation be put into practice under extreme constraints? In conversation with Pashtana Durrani, attendees are invited to reflect on the implications of activism-driven education.

Public short film screening and discussion:
Underground Schools for Girls in Afghanistan
Let Her Learn: Activism-Driven Education for Afghan Girls
June 29, 2026, from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m.