Men not allowed to teach girls in Afghanistan: Taliban announces ban on co-education

The Taliban have formally announced a ban on coeducation in Afghanistan, saying men would not be allowed to teach girl students in the country. The announcement comes a day after the group allowed Afghan women to study at university but have said that there would be a ban on mixed classes under their rule.

The hardline Islamist group that stormed to power in mid-August after ousting the Western-back government have vowed to rule differently compared to their 1990s stint when girls and women were banned from education.

"The... people of Afghanistan will continue their higher education in the light of Sharia law in safety without being in a mixed male and female environment," Abdul Baqi Haqqani, the Taliban's acting minister for higher education said at a meeting with elders, known as a loya jirga, on Sunday.


The newly appointed education minister has said that education activities will take place according to Sharia Law.

Many people have decried this move, which is set to deprive girls of higher education as major universities in the country cannot afford to provide different classes due to a dearth of resources.

"Taliban officially announce ban on coeducation. 'Men not allowed to teach girls,' Taliban Higher Education Minister says -- This will effectively deprive girls from higher education because universities cannot afford it nor there are enough human resources," Afghan journalist Bashir Ahmad Gwakh said in a Twitter posting.