It wasn’t the fear of spending the day with strangers, nor had waking up early in the morning ever irked me. No, it was not the unwillingness to learn, to answer questions and the fear of the imaginary “dungeon full of snakes” my teacher threatened to send me if I wouldn’t do my homework. It was corporal punishment that terrified me the most, especially since I’d experienced it myself.

Womentalkonline wants to hear what you have to say! The DW Global Media Forum is focusing on education this year and our readers are invited to write a blog of around 300 words on their experiences at school.

Arson and poison attacks on schools across Afghanistan, mostly against those teaching girls, have forced students to defend themselves, an extra-curricular activity imposed by the government which blames the Taliban for the violence.  Some 550 schools in 11 provinces have been closed because the state could not provide enough security.