Taliban insists ban on women from Afghan schools and universities is ‘not permanent’ and their education is being ‘postponed’
- A spokesman says the Islamist group is not against ‘women’s education per se’ but schooling must be compliant with our ‘values and rules’
- Since coming to power girls have been banned from secondary school, with a ban on women attending university following last month
The Taliban has said the ban on Afghan women and girls from attending schools and universities is “not permanent”, saying their education is being “postponed”.
“I would like to make it clear that it is not a permanent ban on women’s education, it has been postponed until a conducive environment is created for their education,” Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said.
Girls have been excluded from secondary schools since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
“The authorities are working in full swing to achieve that as soon as possible,” Shaheen said, adding that Taliban leaders were not “against women’s education per se” but they wanted women to “receive education in an environment compliant with our values and rules”.
He did not offer a timeline for their return to education.
