Taliban Official Opens 1405 School Year Excluding Girls Amid Ongoing Education Restrictions

Maulvi Abdulsalam Hanafi, Deputy Administrative Chief of the Taliban Prime Minister’s Office, inaugurated the 1405 solar year school term today without the presence of girls. Speaking at the ceremony organized by the Ministry of Education, Hanafi declared the administration’s commitment to providing “quality educational services” across the country. He emphasized improving curricula, enhancing teachers’ capabilities, and supervising schools.

In the presence of several members of the Taliban cabinet, Hanafi congratulated the education officials, teachers, students, and their families on the new academic year and thanked the ministry’s leadership for organizing the event. He added that education authorities are working to expand educational services in religious schools and other institutions.

However, the new school year begins amid a continuing ban on girls above the sixth grade from attending school since the Taliban took power. This move has drawn widespread criticism from domestic and international organizations. The Taliban administration has yet to provide a clear timeline for the reopening of girls’ schools, effectively depriving millions of girls of their fundamental right to education.

In another part of his speech, Hanafi urged parents to strive for the proper upbringing of their children, describing the family as the first place of education. He also stressed that students should visit mosques after school hours to learn the Quran and Islamic sciences.

Highlighting the status of teachers, he stated that teaching is not merely a job but an “Islamic, moral, and national responsibility,” and that educators at all levels, from primary to high school, must work to nurture the future generation.

In closing, Hanafi called on the Ministry of Education officials to take serious steps in reviewing the curriculum, preparing educational materials, equipping laboratories, and strengthening school supervision. Critics argue, however, that without lifting educational restrictions—especially reopening girls’ schools and ensuring equal access for all segments of society—talk about “educational quality” cannot address the deep crisis in the country’s education system.