There are views that, over the last ten years, Taliban's mentality has changed in several areas. They are no more against sending boys and girls to schools as they have committed to local people that they would not create hurdles, if children attend schools. They are not against TV channels that broadcast programs keeping in view the Islamic standards. Also, the Taliban have been using the internet to keep the world updated of their activities.

But when we hear about incidents of killings, brutality, burning of schools etc caused by Taliban, all the optimistic thoughts about Taliban seems false. On Friday night, the Taliban set on fire a school in Badghis province of Afghanistan, according to Sharafudin Majidi, spokesman to governor. "Taliban insurgents set ablaze a primary school in Balamurghab district of Badghis province last night as a result a major part of the school building, stationary and text books were destroyed," Majidi said.

Girls of several villages attended the school in the morning shift; while the boys attended it in the afternoon, the official further said, adding that damaging the school would deprive the pupils from education at least for several months to rebuild it.

The burning of school, where hundreds of girls were learning to read and write, comes at times when on Afghanistan marked international women's day on 8 March. More rights to women, prevention of violence against them and allowing them to get education were emphasized by government and other concerned organizations.

Meanwhile, the women activists expressed their deep concerns over compromise on women's rights and their ten year gains in peace deal with Taliban. The Taliban have been against women going to work or getting education. During their rule in Afghanistan, women were imprisoned in their houses. Taliban's possible comeback to power puts all the current achievements of Afghan women at stake.

In the last ten years, one of the priorities of the international community has been promoting the education sector of Afghanistan and the development in this area has been noteworthy. But Taliban's threats still remain at large and they continue to create hurdles for Afghans to get education.