Taliban Announce Graduation of Thousands from Administrative Training Programs
The Taliban’s Technical and Vocational Education Authority has held a ceremony in Kabul celebrating the graduation of 3,500 members from its administrative and management training programs. Senior Taliban officials, including Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Mullah Abdul Salam Hanafi, attended the event.
In his speech, Hanafi praised the initiative and described educating the Taliban’s fighters as “essential.” He stated that since the Taliban returned to power, various educational programs have been launched for the group’s members. Hanafi stressed that the time had come to work collectively toward the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Hanafi also urged domestic media outlets to reflect what he referred to as the “realities of the country.” He claimed that work on infrastructure projects is continuing rapidly, although such assertions remain unverifiable due to limited transparency, lack of independent oversight, and restrictions on media freedom.
At the same event, Mullah Fathullah Mansour, Deputy Minister of Aviation, welcomed the training of thousands in administrative and managerial programs, calling it an important achievement for the Taliban administration. However, Taliban training initiatives have often been criticized for incorporating ideological content and lacking transparency according to independent educational bodies.
Mullah Aminullah Obaid, the Taliban-appointed governor of Kabul, also praised the continued provision of education opportunities for Taliban members and claimed that Afghans have always led in various sectors. He called for “unity to strengthen the system,” but offered no details on how these educational programs include broader segments of society or ensure equitable access.
Elsewhere in the ceremony, Taliban Minister of Higher Education, Neda Mohammad Nadeem, claimed the group’s system is based on the Quran and Sunnah, and that all officials see themselves as servants of the people. He hailed the training program for Taliban members as a major achievement and promised further educational opportunities for graduates, though he provided no concrete implementation details.
Mullah Ghulam Haidar Shahamat, head of the Technical and Vocational Education Authority, said the aim of these programs is to support loyal Taliban members who missed out on education during the war. Meanwhile, access to education for the general population, especially women and girls, remains severely restricted.
Mullah Amir Jan Thaqib, Deputy Head of the Taliban’s Academy of Sciences, emphasized the importance of technical and vocational education and called on graduates to serve their “country.”
According to available information, approximately 40,000 Taliban members have undergone administrative and management training under these programs. However, it remains unclear to what extent this training addresses the real needs of Afghan society or is accessible to marginalized groups.
