Afghanistan: Public universities reopen with gender-segregated classes

Six months since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan following the West’s withdrawal in August, the country has yet to fully function under its new government. Public universities in Afghanistan have begun reopening, but with gender-segregated classes and with very few women returning.

Afghanistan’s main universities have recently reopened, but not many women returned to their classes. The few women that returned were also subject to learning in segregated classes. This comes as most schools for girls and public universities closed down when the insurgent group returned, sparking concerns that women would be barred from receiving education again, much like the Taliban’s hardline rule from 1996 to 2001.

The Taliban has said that women and girls are allowed to receive education this time but in accordance with a curriculum that is in line with their Islamic faith. Classes will be segregated between boys and girls and will respectively be done at different times.

One student told Al Jazeera they were happy that universities have reopened, however, there is a shortage of lecturers as many fled the country during the evacuation efforts in August last year. The student also told the outlet that there have been instances where Taliban fighters would scold students for bringing mobile phones to class.

Guards from the insurgent group also refused access to journalists and did not allow media teams to stay around near the entrances.

Meanwhile, the insurgent group will be meeting with officials from Pakistan Monday with trade flows and people’s movement on the Durand Line on the agenda, according to the local media. Afghanistan’s commerce minister with their Pakistani counterpart Razak Dawood. Dawood would be accompanied by National Security Adviser Dr. Moeed Yusuf and Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq.

The meeting between officials from both sides comes as incidents of clashes between Taliban and Pakistani forces at Durand Line in Kandahar province’s Spin Boldak district. 20 people were injured and three were killed from the clashes between the two sides.

Sources in Kandahar said that Pakistani border guards beat up an Afghan child at the Spin Boldak Gate and Afghan security forces opened fire on the Pakistani border guards.