Taliban Minister Urges Kabul University to Align Education with Islamic Ideology
Khalid Hanafi, the Taliban’s Minister for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, has called on professors at Kabul University to shape students’ mindsets in accordance with Islamic and Afghan values. The ministry’s spokesperson, Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, released an audio recording of Hanafi’s speech on Thursday, December 10.
In his address, Hanafi noted that approximately 300 professors are currently active at Kabul University, and emphasized that their primary responsibility is to foster the intellectual and moral development of students within the framework of Islamic teachings. He further stated that students’ areas of specialization should also be aligned with the Quran and Sunnah.
Hanafi reiterated that the Taliban administration has no need for professors who left the country following political changes and expressed disregard for academic disciplines that, in the group’s view, do not conform to Islamic teachings.
These remarks come in the context of sweeping restrictions the Taliban have previously imposed on educational institutions, particularly targeting women and girls. Analysts believe such views could further undermine academic independence and push Afghanistan’s higher education system further from global academic standards.
It is worth noting that Hanafi had previously declared the study of modern sciences as permissible, but his latest comments signal a renewed emphasis by the Taliban on religious instruction and ideological control over the country’s academic institutions.
