Ottawa school wants to enrol Afghan girl fleeing Taliban

The headmaster of an Ottawa private school is pushing to bring an Afghan girl whose father was killed by the Taliban to the school.

Ashbury College headmaster Tam Matthews said he first heard about 17-year-old Roya Shams after reading a news story by Toronto Star reporter Paul Watson.

Last July, Shams' father, Haji Sayed Gulab Shah, was killed during an operation against insurgents.

He was an officer with the district police force in Kandahar City and also a champion for women and their right to education.

Roya had been working to get her education, but since his death, she has been threatened by the Taliban and barely leaves her house.

Private school headmaster touched by girl's story

Matthews said he's trying to see if there is a way to bring her to Ashbury. He said he had to help because her story was so compelling.

"What touched me, number one, was her situation with her family, the loss of her father," said Matthews. "With her parents, education was always a priority and this, for her,...is really to fill that educational dream."

Matthews said Shams is being interviewed and will have to take the college's test. He said her English is good but they want to make sure she will succeed if she comes here.

He said her presence will give other students in the class a first-person perspective on Afghanistan.

Ashbury College already has students from 30 different countries, he said.