Afghan universities wear deserted look as Taliban impose fresh rules

Universities in Kabul wore a deserted look on the first day of Afghan school year on Monday. Professors and students are still trying to decidewhatto make of Taliban's new rules. Taliban have promised a lenient stance than their previous regime in 90s towards women's education.

From 1996-2001 women's freedoms in Afghanistan were ruthlessly curtailed. They faced ban from receiving higher education.

This time, the hardline Islamist group have said women will be allowed to go to private universities under the new regime, but they face tough restrictions on their clothing and movement.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Women can only attend class if they wear an abaya -- a flowing robe -- and a niqab -- a face veil with a small window to see through -- and are separated from men, the Taliban said.

"Our students don't accept this and we will have to close the university," said Noor Ali Rahmani, the director of Gharjistan University in Kabul, on an almost empty campus on Monday.

"Our students wear the hijab, not the niqab," he added, referring to a headscarf.

The Taliban education authority issued a lengthy document on Sunday outlining their measures for the classroom, which also ruled that men and women should be segregated -- or at least divided by a curtain if there are 15 students or less.

"We said we didn't accept it because it will be difficult to do," Rahmani told AFP.

"We also said that it is not real Islam, it is not what the Koran says."

Also Read | Taliban open fire to disperse demonstrators who chant anti-Pakistan slogans in Kabul

From now on at private colleges and universities, which have mushroomed since the Taliban's first rule ended, women must only be taught by other women, or "old men", and use a women-only entrance.

They must also end their lessons five minutes earlier than men to stop them from mingling outside.

So far, the Taliban has said nothing about public universities.

Usually on the first day of the academic year, university campuses are packed with students catching up after the summer break. This did not happen on Tuesday.

(With inputs from agencies)