The Taliban’s Minister of Higher Education, Neda Mohammad Nadeem, stated that inquiries regarding the reopening of girls’ schools and universities are suspended “until further notice.”
In a press conference held on Sunday, August 25, Nadeem emphasized that the decision to reopen schools and universities will not be based on public demand but on the requirements of Islamic law.
“Afghanistan is an Islamic society with an Islamic government,” he said, adding that the decision to reopen schools beyond the sixth grade and universities for girls cannot be made hastily.
The Taliban official claimed that 90 percent of women’s rights have been fulfilled under their regime.
“So far, we have not reached the point where we can reopen the doors of universities or schools to females,” Mr. Nadeem added.
The Taliban have suggested that they plan to elevate women’s education to a “mandatory level.” He accused critics of the Taliban of using women’s education to create “unrest” on International Women’s Day.
It is noteworthy that following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, they banned girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade. In December 2022, they further closed the doors of universities to female students.
These decisions have prevented nearly 1.5 million girls above the sixth grade from continuing their education.
In addition to barring girls from universities, the Taliban also prohibited them from taking the national university entrance exams.
The United Nations has consistently reported that the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education has deprived 1.4 million girls of schooling.
Despite these actions, the Taliban continue to claim that they are upholding women’s rights, even as their new laws have gone so far as to prohibit women from raising their voices in public.
