Taliban ‘bans girls from primary school’ after closing university doors to female students

From The Telegraph and The Times

According to reports, the Islamist rulers of Afghanistan told teachers they would no longer be able to educate girls of any age . . . in what would amount to a total ban on female education.

On Wednesday, according to the Wall Street Journal … told teachers they would no longer be able to educate girls of any age. They also decreed women would no longer be able to work in any form of educational institutions in a further blow to personal freedoms in Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Higher Education ordered all public and private universities to suspend female students’ education yesterday after a government meeting. “You all are informed to immediately implement the mentioned order of suspending education of females until further notice,” Neda Mohammad Nadeem, the minister for higher education, said.

Girls were then sent home from primary schools in the capital.

The Taliban has not officially commented on reports of the new ban while officials at the meeting said it would only be temporary. All the movement’s previous bans on female education have been launched with such words and none have since been removed.

In a further blow, adult women will no longer be allowed to attend mosques, the WSJ said.