Afghanistan: Taliban To Ban Mixed Classes In Universities, Say Women Will Be Allowed To Study Separately

<p><strong>Kabul: </strong>The Taliban&rsquo;s Higher Education Minister, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, on Sunday said the women in Afghanistan will be allowed to attend universities as long as they study separately from men.</p> <p>&ldquo;We have no problems in ending the mixed-education system,&rdquo; Haqqani told reporters about the new regime&rsquo;s plans for the country&rsquo;s education.</p> <p><strong>READ:</strong> <strong><a href="https://ift.tt/3yZAqQl Releases Newly Declassified Record On September 11 Attacks</a></strong></p> <p>&ldquo;The people are Muslims and they will accept it,&rdquo; he added, AFP reported.</p> <p>Haqqani further said that Afghanistan&rsquo;s education system had changed greatly since the Taliban&rsquo;s last time in power when the women were effectively barred from the schools and universities.</p> <p>Stating the number of educational institutions has &ldquo;increased dramatically&rdquo; compared to the past, the Taliban&rsquo;s Higher Education Minister said: &ldquo;This gives us hope for a future, prosperous and self-sufficient Afghanistan... we will continue from where they were left.&rdquo;</p> <p>Haqqani also downplayed fears that the new rules would exclude the women because the universities do not have the resources to provide separate classes.</p> <p>He categorically stated there were enough female teachers, adding alternatives could be found without breaching rules where they were not available.</p> <p>Asserting &ldquo;it all depends on the university&rsquo;s capacity&rdquo;, he said: &ldquo;We can also use male teachers to teach from behind a curtain or use technology.&rdquo;</p> <p>The Taliban had earlier this month announced that women could still study at university if they wore an &lsquo;abaya robe&rsquo; and &lsquo;niqab&rsquo; covering most of the face, with classes segregated by sex or at least divided by a curtain.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong> <strong><a href="https://ift.tt/3tFzGPi Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh's Brother 'Executed', Family Claims Taliban Want His Body To 'Rot'</a></strong></p> <p>The Taliban, which seized control of the Afghan capital in mid-August, have said they want to distance themselves from the harsher old policies when half the population was excluded from work and education.</p> <p>The women&rsquo;s rights in Afghanistan were sharply curtailed under the Taliban rule earlier from 1996 to 2001.</p>