UNESCO condemns Taliban's plan to segregate classes for men and women

The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) condemned the Taliban's new policy of segregating men and women in educational institutions stating that the decision would hamper achievements in mixed education. Issuing a statement, UNESCO urged the Taliban to preserve the education gains of the last 20 years and added that the decision would adversely impact the education of girls and women. 

UNESCO's statement comes after the Taliban announced gender-segregated classrooms and declared that women would not be allowed to pursue education without a hijab. Audrey Azoulay, director-general of UNESCO said, “What is at stake in Afghanistan is the absolute necessity of preserving the gains made in education."

According to TOLO News, the interest of girls in pursuing higher education amid the stringent guidelines has already begun to witness a decline. Mina, who is studying computer science at a private university said, "Only five students were in our class today. There is no interest in studying." 

New education guidelines under Taliban

Cracking down on women's freedom, the Taliban-ruled Ministry of Higher Education on Sunday asked all relevant institutions to share their plans for segregating the classes for boys and girls, as per local news reports. The Taliban has ordered that women attending universities must wear an abaya, or robe, and niqab, or burqa. Moreover, women can only be taught by women teachers, however if not available, then 'old men' of good character can step in. 

Taliban's acting higher education minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani has stated that 'modern subjects' will be introduced with non-essential subjects so that students of Afghanistan could compete with the world. “Gender segregation will also be enforced, Haqqani said, adding, “We will not allow boys and girls to study together. We will not allow co-education," he said.

Men and women must be separated in a co-ed classroom, if necessary by a curtain and should use separate entrances and exits, according to the Taliban. Women have also been asked to end their lesson five minutes earlier than men, go to a waiting room before being accompanied to home by a male relative. 

Najibullah Wahedi, a teacher in an Afghan University was quoted by TOLO News as saying, "Separating students by gender will decrease education opportunities for girls; as a result, they (girls) will not continue their education." 

(With Agency Inputs)