Taliban double down on barring women from taking university entry exams – National | 24CA News
The Taliban on Saturday doubled down on their ban on ladies’s training, reinforcing in a message to non-public universities that Afghan ladies are barred from taking college entry exams, in line with a spokesman.
The notice comes regardless of weeks of condemnation and lobbying by the worldwide neighborhood for a reversal on measures limiting ladies’s freedoms, together with two back-to-back visits this month by a number of senior U.N. officers. It additionally bodes in poor health for hopes that the Taliban might take steps to reverse their edicts anytime quickly.
The Taliban barred ladies from non-public and public universities final month. The increased training minister within the Taliban-run authorities, Nida Mohammed Nadim, has maintained that the ban is important to stop the blending of genders in universities _ and since he believes some topics being taught violate Islamic ideas.
Read extra:
Afghanistan is a ‘disaster’ after a 12 months of Taliban rule. What does the longer term maintain?
Read subsequent:
Ukraine conflict: ‘Fast-track’ talks between Kyiv and the West underway for missiles, planes
Work was underway to repair these points and universities would reopen for girls as soon as they have been resolved, he had stated in a TV interview.
The Taliban have made comparable guarantees about center faculty and highschool entry for ladies, saying lessons would resume for them as soon as “technical issues” round uniforms and transport have been sorted out. But women stay shut out of school rooms past sixth grade.
Higher Education Ministry spokesman Ziaullah Hashmi stated Saturday {that a} letter reminding non-public universities to not permit ladies to take entrance exams was despatched out. He gave no additional particulars.
A replica of the letter, shared with The Associated Press, warned that ladies couldn’t take the “entry test for bachelor, master and doctorate levels” and that if any college disobeys the edict, “legal action will be taken against the violator.”
The letter was signed by Mohammad Salim Afghan, the federal government official overseeing pupil affairs at non-public universities.
Entrance exams begin on Sunday in some provinces whereas elsewhere in Afghanistan, they start Feb. 27. Universities throughout Afghanistan observe a special time period timetable, attributable to seasonal variations.
Mohammed Karim Nasari, spokesman for the non-public universities union, stated the establishments have been apprehensive and unhappy about this newest growth.
“The one hope we had was that there might be some progress. But unfortunately, after the letter, there is no sign of progress,” he informed the AP. “The entire sector is suffering.”
He expressed fears that if training didn’t restart for ladies, then no person would take entrance exams as a result of pupil numbers can be so low.
Also, Nasari stated non-public universities need the authorities to waive land taxes for universities constructed on authorities property, and waive taxes on universities typically, as a result of they’re struggling large monetary losses.
Afghanistan has 140 non-public universities throughout 24 provinces, with round 200,000 college students. Out of these, some 60,000 to 70,000 are ladies. The universities make use of about 25,000 individuals.
Earlier this week, U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths and leaders of two main worldwide assist organizations visited Afghanistan, following final week’s go to by a delegation led by the U.N.’s highest-ranking girl, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed. The visits had the identical purpose –to try to reverse the Taliban’s crackdown on ladies and women, together with their ban on Afghan ladies working for nationwide and world humanitarian organizations.
© 2023 The Associated Press
