Kabul University looks deserted as Taliban govt bans women on campus

As the Taliban has restricted the entry of women at Kabul University, the normally bustling campus now wears a deserted look.

While classes have been suspended on the campus, only male employees have been allowed to work on research or office tasks. The Taliban has said that women will be banned from teaching or studying at public universities in Afghanistan until they can be segregated from men. However, at Kabul University, both male and female students have been sent home. Also read | Coronavirus update: ICMR urges public to observe low-key festivity this year The Taliban imposed a new "harsh" education policy, in which women may be present on campuses only if they wear traditional Islamic garb and do not share space with male students. Taliban spokesperson Bilal Karimi reported that the authorities were "working on a comprehensive plan to ensure a peaceful environment for female students". After that plan is finalised, they (female) would be allowed to continue their education." Several Kabul University faculty members and students have expressed deep concern about the hardening Taliban stance on women's access to public universities. "It makes me very sad," said Javeda Ahmed, a longtime professor at Kabul University, who said she taught girls at home during the first Taliban regime. Also read | ITBP completes Lahaul-Spiti rescue mission, 2 trekkers dead, 15 rescued She said the university had far fewer female than male teachers, making it impossible to divide them evenly. If men can't teach the girls, then who will?" she asked. "Where will their knowledge go?" Over the weekend, Kabul University's nearly 70 teaching staff resigned in protest after the Taliban fired the doctorate-level vice-chancellor. The group replaced the chancellor with one of their own members who has had significantly less formal education. Earlier, the Taliban-appointed new chancellor Mohammad Ashraf Ghairat barred women from the institution as either teachers or students. But under the strict mandate of gender segregation, classes in various private institutions are open to all. Many faculty members objected when Ghairat was appointed last week by the Taliban to replace a widely respected academic. -PTC News