Taliban: Women are allowed at universities, not in mixed classes though

The Taliban’s higher education minister has announced that Afghan women would be allowed to study at university as long as they are separated from men, stressing that there would be a ban on mixed classes.

Abdul Baqi Haqqani made the announcement at a press briefing on Sunday, as he elaborated on the new interim government’s plans for Afghanistan’s education sector.

“We have no problems in ending the mixed-education system,” he said, adding, “The people are Muslims and they will accept it.”

The Taliban had already pledged to rule differently compared to their first stint in power, when girls and women were banned from education.

Earlier this month, the Taliban said Afghans could continue their higher education in under the Sharia law in safety without being in a mixed male and female environment – or at least divided by a curtain.

As for the women’s rights to education, they also said girls have no problem in going to school and women will also have access to education providing that they wear Islamic hijab.

Haqqani also said Afghanistan’s education system had changed considerably since the Taliban’s last time in power, adding that the number of educational institutions had increased dramatically.

“This gives us hope for a future, prosperous and self-sufficient Afghanistan... we will continue from where they were left.”

The Taliban minister stated that there were enough female teachers and, in case of unavailability, alternatives could be found without breaching the rules.

Some had already expressed fear that the new rules may exclude women due to the fact that the universities do not have the resources to provide separate classes.

“It all depends on the university's capacity,” Haqqani said. “We can also use male teachers to teach from behind a curtain, or use technology.”

The Taliban have also decreed that under the new rules, women may work “in accordance with the principles of Islam,” but few details have yet been given as to what that exactly might mean.

On September 7, the Taliban announced the formation of a caretaker government.

The announcement came as rallies were held across the capital Kabul, with Afghan protesters — most of them women — taking to the streets to display their disapproval of the Taliban.

SS