Taliban's Minister of Higher Education Abdul Baqi Haqqani on Wednesday, 8 September, questioned the relevance of higher education in the country. Almost three weeks after seizing power in Afghanistan, the Taliban announced their new government on Tuesday, 7 September.
"No PhD degree, master's degree is valuable today. You see that the Mullahs and Taliban that are in power have no PhD, MA or even a high school degree but are the greatest of all."Abdul Baqi Haqqani, Taliban's Minister of Higher Education
A video of the same has gone viral on social media and was met with severe criticism.
Private universities and higher education institutions have reopened in Afghanistan but are following new gender rules. Pictures showing male and female Afghan students sitting in the same classroom separated by a curtain have also gone viral.
According to Afghanistan's TOLOnews, male and female students will be taught in separate classrooms, and only female teachers will be allowed to teach female students. Joint classes comprising both genders are not permitted at universities.
"Some of the universities are able to use separate buildings for girls, to teach the girls separately. But a number of universities do not have buildings. They can change the time of classes," a Taliban official said.
Worried about the low attendance of females, officials from the private universities and institutions said they are willing to implement the new format set by the ministry.
(With inputs from IANS)
(Correction: An earlier version of this copy incorrectly named Sheikh Molvi Noorullah Munir as the new Higher Education Minister. The error is regretted.)
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