“2.8 million female students enrolled in schools,” Taliban FM says

Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi announced that 2.8 million female students are currently enrolled in schools, countering negative perceptions of the Taliban’s education policies. The announcement was made during a press conference at the Afghan embassy in New Delhi, reports 24brussels.

Muttaqi highlighted that Afghanistan boasts a total of 10 million students in educational institutions, with women comprising a significant portion of this figure. He stated, “There is no doubt that Afghanistan has relations with Ulema Madaris and with Deoband perhaps greater than others. With regards to education, at present we have 10 million students attending schools and other educational institutes, of which, 2.8 million are women and girls.”

Despite acknowledging existing limitations, he asserted that education for women has not been deemed ‘haram’ (religiously profane) and emphasized that educational opportunities remain available at religious seminaries up to the graduation level. “There are certain limitations in specific parts, but that does not mean that we oppose education. We have not declared it religiously ‘haram’, but it has been postponed until the second order,” he explained.

However, the United Nations reported that the Taliban regime has “deliberately deprived” at least 1.4 million girls of their education rights. The situation has worsened, with approximately 300,000 additional girls missing out on education since UNESCO’s last count in April 2023. The UN has warned that the future of an entire generation is at stake, as the Taliban has forbidden girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade, justifying this stance through its interpretation of Islam—an approach not mirrored by other Muslim nations.

During the same press interaction, Muttaqi addressed criticism regarding the absence of women at the press conference, which he labeled as an unintentional “technical issue.” He responded to backlash from Indian media and politicians, clarifying that the exclusion was not a result of gender discrimination. “With regards to the press conference, it was on short notice and a short list of journalists was decided. The participation list that was presented was very specific,” he stated. Subsequently, he held another press event specifically inviting women journalists to participate.