Taliban Education Minister Expresses Concern Over Youth’s Dependence on Mobile Phones

Nadamohammad Nadim, the Taliban’s Minister of Higher Education, recently urged young people not to rely on religious information obtained through mobile phones and to prioritize books as their main source. He stated that using mobile phones is acceptable for professional matters only when written sources are unavailable; however, in religious subjects, he believes that referring to mobile content should be avoided. These remarks come as the Taliban administration has previously imposed restrictions on digital tools within educational institutions. In the month of Mizan, the Ministry of Higher Education banned the use of smartphones for teachers and officials below the fourth rank in universities. Critics argue that such measures limit free access to diverse educational resources instead of enhancing religious and scientific literacy, potentially harming the quality of higher education—especially given that books and printed materials are not widely available in many provinces.