According to a spokesman, the Taliban strengthened their prohibition on women attending universities on January 28 by reminding private universities that Afghan women are not permitted to participate in university entrance tests.
The letter was sent in spite of weeks of worldwide outrage and pressure for a change in laws restricting the rights of women, including two back-to-back trips this month by three top U.N. representatives. It also raises doubts about promises that the Taliban will soon take action to change its edicts.
Last month, the Taliban forbade women from attending both private and public colleges. Nida Mohammed Nadim, the Taliban-controlled government’s minister of higher education, has insisted that the restriction is vital to stop the mixing of sexes in colleges because he thinks some courses being taught go against Islamic values.
He had stated in a TV appearance that efforts were being made to address these problems, and once they did, universities will open to women once more.
Similar assurances have been given by the Taliban regarding girls’ access to middle and high school, stating that these levels of education will resume after technical concerns relating to uniforms and transportation had been resolved. But after the sixth grade, girls are still not allowed in the classroom.
Ziaullah Hashmi, a spokesman for the Higher Education Ministry, reported on January 28 that private universities had received a letter advising them not to allow women to appear for entrance examinations. He said nothing more in-depth.
The letter, a copy of which was provided to The Associated Press, stated that no university would be allowed to allow women to take the entrance test for bachelor, master, and doctoral levels and that legal action will be taken against the violator if they did.
Mohammad Salim Afghan, the government representative in charge of managing student matters at for-profit universities, signed the letter.
In certain provinces, entrance tests begin on January 29; elsewhere in Afghanistan, they start on February 27. Due to seasonal variations, there are distinct term schedules followed by universities throughout Afghanistan.
There are 140 private universities in Afghanistan’s 24 regions, serving about 200,000 students. About 60,000 to 70,000 of them are women. About 25,000 people work for the universities.
News Mania Desk
