Kabul: The Taliban have reversed a decision to allow Afghan girls to return to high schools, saying a decision is still to be made on the uniforms they must wear.
Schools were set to open after months of restrictions after the Taliban seized power last August.
However, international media reported that a notice issue from the education ministry said schools would continue to remain closed.
Taliban backtrack on reopening high schools for Afghan girls https://t.co/WtyCPDe0el
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) March 23, 2022
Some girls were in tears as parents and students reacted with anger and disappointment to the last-minute move.
The decision came a week after the education ministry announced schools for all students, including girls, would open around the country on Wednesday.
“We inform all girls’ high schools and those schools that [have] female students above class six that they are off until the next order,” the notice said.
The notice added schools would reopen after a decision over the uniform of female students was made per “Sharia law and Afghan tradition”.
There have been fears the Taliban would put an end to women’s education once they regained control of the country last August. They had banned formal education for girls during their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001.
One of the demands of the international community was for the Taliban to grant women and girls the right to education before being able to access foreign aid.
However, as per the reported news, this does not seem to be realized any time soon.
