Zabihullah Mujahid on reopening girls’ schools: “Now is not the time.”
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, declined to provide a clear answer on Sunday, September 8, regarding the reopening of girls’ schools above sixth grade. Speaking at a press conference in Kabul, he said that “now is not the time” to discuss the matter further.
In response to a question about the future of girls’ education, Mujahid initially cited general statistics about the state of education in Afghanistan, shifting the discussion to the country’s population and the number of people currently receiving education. He said that if Afghanistan’s population is 40 million, one in every four Afghans is receiving an education.
He then added, without providing any specific details about a timeline or conditions for reopening girls’ schools: “We are trying to add the part that is still lacking, but perhaps now is not the time to discuss this matter further, because it is an issue on which we have already provided answers.”
The remarks come as girls’ schools above sixth grade remain closed nearly five years after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, while girls and women also remain barred from attending universities.
The restrictions imposed on girls’ and women’s education in Afghanistan have drawn widespread domestic and international condemnation. However, the Taliban have yet to announce a specific timeline for reopening girls’ schools above the sixth grade.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
