On Sunday, the Minister of Higher Education in the Taliban government confirmed that the movement will not reverse its decision to allow females who wish to pursue university studies to attend colleges. However, it emphasized the necessity of no mixing between genders.
Minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani stated at a press conference in Kabul, "Our fighters have taken on their responsibilities" in regaining power, stressing the importance of the university system while the West accuses the Taliban of neglecting education. He continued, "Currently, the responsibility for rebuilding the country lies with the universities," and affirmed that the movement is optimistic about this "because the number of universities has increased significantly" compared to the period when the Taliban first took control of the country from 1996 to 2001.
He added, "This encourages us to be optimistic about the future, in order to build a prosperous Afghanistan... We must make better use of these universities" and continue from where things stopped after the government was overthrown in mid-August. Haqqani also confirmed that the Taliban government would end mixed classes that were previously allowed in colleges.
He emphasized, "This will not be a problem for us. People are Muslims and will accept this. We have decided to separate (males and females) because mixing is against Islamic principles and our traditions."
This announcement may heighten concerns among some universities that claim they do not have the facilities and financial resources to adapt to the requirements of non-mixing, believing that this could encourage students accustomed to mixing to leave the country for studies abroad.
The announcement also raises concerns for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which stated on Friday that the "significant" progress made in education in Afghanistan since 2001 is now at "risk" following the Taliban's return to power, warning of a "disaster affecting an entire generation" that could "negatively impact the sustainable development of the country for years to come."
