KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education announced on Wednesday that it has canceled the licenses of 11 private higher education organizations, accusing them of violating administrative and educational regulations. Officials from the organizations will be referred to judicial authorities, the ministry said.
In a statement, the ministry claimed the institutions were found to be negligent, citing issues such as the “existence of ghost teachers and students, fake agreements, and a lack of qualified administrative staff.” The decision, the ministry said, was made by its leadership.
The affected institutions include Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi Institute in Ghazni province, Abu Nasr in Farah, Mawlana Jalaluddin Balkhi in Samangan, Hanzala and Hikmat in Badghis, Fajristan in Takhar, Numer in Kunduz, Royan and Quds in Baghlan, Sadat in Balkh, and Al-Ghiyas in Herat.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Afghanistan’s education sector has faced immense challenges. Many academic professionals have fled the country, citing security concerns and a lack of opportunities under Taliban rule. Critics have accused the Taliban of prioritizing loyalty over qualifications in academic appointments, leaving universities understaffed and ill-equipped.
Students have repeatedly expressed concerns about the shortage of university lecturers, warning of the long-term consequences for Afghanistan’s future.
In recent months, the Taliban have escalated restrictions on women’s access to education. Last week, the group banned female students from attending medical institutions, sparking widespread criticism domestically and internationally.
The Taliban have also ordered female administrative staff at universities to step down and nominate male replacements within three days, according to sources who shared a copy of a directive dated December 8.
United Nations experts, including Richard Bennett, the special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, condemned the Taliban’s latest education bans as an unjustifiable assault on women’s rights.
“If implemented, the reported new ban will be yet another inexplicable, totally unjustifiable blow to the health, dignity, and futures of Afghan women and girls,” the experts said in a statement on Monday. “It constitutes yet another direct assault on the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.”
The restrictions have drawn widespread condemnation, with rights groups and international organizations warning of their devastating impact on Afghan society and the country’s prospects for recovery.
