The Taliban on Wednesday mentioned they’ve reopened public universities for ladies college students in six of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, a transfer marking a significant concession to worldwide calls for by the nation’s new rulers.
Since they swept into energy in mid-August, the worldwide group has watched to see whether or not the Taliban will impose the identical harsh measures as throughout their Nineties rule of Afghanistan, together with banning ladies from schooling and ladies from the office and public life.
The Taliban have imposed a number of restrictions, lots of them on ladies, since their takeover — ladies have been banned from many roles exterior the well being and instructing sector, and ladies haven’t been in a position to go to highschool after grade six. The Taliban demand ladies put on headscarves however have stopped in need of imposing the burqa, the head-to masking that was obligatory below their earlier rule.
The Taliban-run tradition and data ministry mentioned Wednesday that public universities within the provinces of Nangarhar and Kandahar had been now open for ladies in what it described as a staggered course of anticipated to see all college students — women and men — finally return to school.
Later within the day, the Taliban spokesman for the ministry of upper schooling, Ahmad Taqqi, mentioned public universities additionally reopened Wednesday for ladies in 4 extra provinces — Helmand, Farah, Nimroz, and Laghman.
The six provinces have hotter climates than the remainder of Afghanistan the place the winters are bitterly chilly, which the Taliban say is the rationale they’re the primary to reopen. Men will attend lessons within the morning and ladies within the afternoon, aligning with a gender-segregated system below the Taliban.
Earlier this week, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, the Taliban-appointed schooling minister, mentioned that public universities elsewhere in Afghanistan, together with the University of Kabul, would reopen for each women and men on Feb. 26.
“All instructors and officials are advised to concentrate on their responsibilities and provide the required facilities for the students,” Haqqani mentioned in a recorded video clip on Sunday.
The United Nations mission in Afghanistan welcomed his announcement, calling it “important for Afghanistan” in a tweet Tuesday. “So crucial that every young person has equal access to education.”
On Wednesday, Taliban-appointed tradition and data minister, Khairullah Khairkhwa, visited the Kandahar University and mentioned that “modern and Islamic education simultaneously can lead a country to prosperity.”
Since their takeover, the Taliban have come below heavy fireplace for denying women and girls schooling. Reopening of public universities can be their first concession. The Taliban have additionally promised that every one ladies might be again in class by the top of March at first of the Afghan new 12 months.