Kabul, Afghanistan (EFE) – Experts and social activists are concerned over the decline of modern education in Afghanistan as the country marks the third year of the Taliban’s ban on adolescent girls’ education.
They say several Taliban-backed religious centers have come at the expense of modern schools, which may lead to a rise in extremism.
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According to a recent report from the Taliban’s Ministry of Education, more than 21,000 Islamic education centers have been established, compared to just 316 new modern schools, a trend sparking alarm among education activists.
“It is very dangerous for the country’s future that so many Taliban-backed Islamic study centers are being established while modern education is being neglected,” Ghulam Jelani Alokozai, an education expert, told EFE.
At a press conference on Sep 11, the Taliban’s Education Ministry presented its annual performance report, revealing the establishment of 21,257 Islamic education centers alongside 316 new schools.
The stark contrast has left many experts worried about Afghanistan’s educational trajectory.
Alokozai said it showed a “clear path toward extremism.”
Social activists have criticized the Taliban for keeping girls’ schools and universities closed while enrolling female students in seminaries.
“The seminaries existed under the previous government too, but now, with the Taliban in power, girls’ schools and universities remain closed, and girls are only allowed to attend religious institutions,” said Nahid Noori, a social and women’s rights activist.
Experts are also concerned about the Taliban’s changes to both modern education and religious curricula, accusing the de-facto government of using seminaries to indoctrinate the younger generation with its ideology.
“We already had Islamic centers with a comprehensive curriculum, so why did the Taliban feel the need to change the curriculum and expand religious studies centers unnecessarily? The country also needs modern education,” said Mulavi Sayed Ibrar, a religious scholar.
Banning girls’ education has been widely criticized both nationally and internationally. Religious scholars argue that Islam mandates education for both males and females, emphasizing the importance of modern education alongside religious studies.
“Islam clearly states that education is mandatory for men and women, and we need modern education in all aspects of life,” said Mawalawi Saleh Mohammad Islampur, an Islamic scholar.
Former students, like 18-year-old Madina, who was in the 10th grade before joining a seminary, have had to abandon their dreams. “I wanted to become an economist, but now, with schools closed, I’ve had to turn to religious studies just to stay in the educational system,” Madina told EFE.
Nazo Kharotay, 16, a secondary school student, said they watched the Taliban’s recent education conference. “But unfortunately, there was no mention of girls’ education.”
In its annual report, the Taliban’s Education Ministry noted that over the past year, more than 1.4 million new students were enrolled in public and private schools, raising the total number of students to nearly 11 million.
The report also highlighted the establishment of 21,257 Islamic education centers, including 19,669 seminaries, 1,277 Quran memorization centers, 115 religious schools, and 39 orphanages, engaging a total of 3,687,200 people in Islamic education.
Additionally, 316 new schools were opened, including 106 public and 210 private schools, bringing the total number of schools in Afghanistan to 18,337.
The ministry also provided specialized services to 484 disabled children in 18 provinces and educational materials for 3,844 disabled students in 19 provinces, while working to revise textbooks and improve the quality of education. EFE