KABUL: Women in Afghanistan can continue to study at universities, including at postgraduate levels, but classrooms will be separated by gender and Islamic dresses is mandatory, the minister of higher education in the New Taliban government on Sunday.
The minister, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, put a new policy at a press conference, a few days after Afghan’s new ruler formed the government of all men.
On Saturday, the Taliban had raised their flags at the Presidential Palace, indicating the beginning of the new government work.
Safe! You have managed to throw your voteogin to see the results that the world has watched carefully to see the extent to which the Taliban can act differently from their first time, in the late 1990s.
During the era, girls and women were rejected by education and were excluded from public life.
The Taliban has suggested they have changed, including in their attitude towards women.
However, women have been banned from sports and Taliban have used violence in the past few days against women’s protesters who demand the same rights.
Haqqani said the Taliban did not want to turn back hours of 20 years.
“We will start building what is currently,” he said.
However, female university students will face restrictions, including mandatory dress code.
Haqqani said the headscarf would be obliged but it did not determine whether this means a mandatory headscarf or also mandatory face covering.
Gender segregation will also be enforced, he said.
“We will not let boys and women learn together,” he said.
“We will not allow education together.”
Haqqani said the subjects taught would also be reviewed.
While he did not describe, he said he wanted a graduate of the University of Afghanistan to be competitive with university graduates in the region and throughout the world.
Taliban, who subscribes to the strict interpretation of Islam, prohibits music and art during their previous time in power.
This time around fixed television and news channel still showed a female presenter, but the message of the Taliban was uncertain.
In an interview with the popular Tolo news Afghanistan, Taliban spokesman Syed ZeKrullah Hashmi said women had to give birth and raise children and while the Taliban did not rule out women’s participation in the government, the spokesman “there is no need for women in the cabinet.”
The Taliban seized power on August 15, the day they stormed the capital Kabul after capturing remote provinces in a rapid military campaign.
They initially promised general inclusiveness and amnesty for their previous opponents, but many Afghans remained afraid of new rulers.
Taliban police officers have defeated Afghan journalists, strongly spreading women’s protests and forming the government of all men even though at first they would invite a wider representation.
The new higher education policy signifies changes from the practice received before the Taliban takeover.
The University is co-ed, with men and women who study side by side, and female students do not have to obey the dress code.
However, most female students choose to wear headscarves in line with tradition.
In elementary and secondary schools, boys and girls are taught separately, even before the Taliban in power.
In high school, girls must wear tunics that reach the knees and white headscarves, and jeans, makeup and Jewellrey are not permitted.
Taliban: Women can study at universities separated by gender
