Taliban Bans Kabul University Students From Political Activity

The Taliban administration has called on newly admitted students at Kabul University to stay away from political activity as the new academic year begins, in a move that comes amid sweeping restrictions on educational environments in Afghanistan.

Nadam Mohammad Nadim, the Taliban-appointed acting minister of higher education, told students at a welcoming ceremony for new Kabul University entrants that they should focus all their attention on their studies and academic programmes and refrain from any political activity.

Addressing the students, he said: “Focus on your education and avoid political activities.”

At the same ceremony, Kabul University President Osama Aziz also urged students to follow the Taliban administration’s policies. He said: “Students should apply the principles of higher education and, in general, the principles of the system to themselves.”

The remarks come as the Taliban administration has implemented sweeping changes to Afghanistan’s education system over the past five years. Under these changes, the curriculum has been overhauled, some fields including the arts have been removed, religious subjects have been increased in faculties, and humanities disciplines have faced restrictions.

Kabul University is one of Afghanistan’s largest public higher education institutions, and statements made there carry wider weight in the country’s academic environment because of the university’s standing in the education system.