Men trickle back to Afghan universities after winter break, women remain barred by Taliban

Afghan universities reopened on Monday, March 6, following winter break, but only men trickled back to ir classes and women remain barred by Taliban authorities. university ban is one of several restrictions imposed on women since Taliban stormed back to power. tably, ban has sparked global outr and despair among young people in country.

Taliban authorities have anunced reopening of state-run universities in Afghan capital -- Kabul for only male students. According to a statement from Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education, "Studies of male students at governmental higher education institutions in colder provinces will officially start from March 6 of current year.”

tably, schools and universities go on annual winter break in about 24 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. In 2022,  Islamist government banned higher education for female students saying women h t appropriately observed -based religious restrictions under prior government which was backed by United States.

Wheeling out a litany of excuses for closure, Taliban authorities claimed that  ban on women's education is temporary but despite promises, y have failed to reopen secondary schools for girls which have been closed for more than a year.

Taliban bars women from university education

In December last year, Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers ordered an indefinite ban on university education for country’s women, Ministry of Higher Education said in a letter issued to all government and private universities.

“You all are informed to implement mentioned order of suspending education of females until furr tice,” said letter signed by Minister for Higher Education Neda Mohamm Neem.

Despite its initial promises of moderating rules that would respect rights for women and mirities, Taliban inste implemented a strict interpretation of Islamic law or Sharia. blanket ban on all women from universities came after y appeared in ir high school gruation exams in 2022.