The Taliban’s reclusive chief has made a uncommon go to to a college in Afghanistan in his first identified journey to a contemporary instructional establishment. Hibatullah Akhundzada spoke of the significance of worldly topics as he visited Kandahar College on Wednesday and addressed a big gathering of the college’s management, lecturers, workers and college students, in response to authorities spokesmen. There aren’t any official pictures, movies or audio of the go to.
A spokesperson for the Larger Training Ministry, Ziaullah Hashmi, stated Akhundzada instructed the Kandahar viewers that non secular faculties and universities have been one and the identical and that it was essential to help and defend each kinds of establishments.
Akhundzada spoke in regards to the worth of data and the significance of non secular and fashionable schooling, in response to Hashmi. The Taliban prioritise Islamic data over fundamental secular literacy and numeracy and are rising the variety of madrassas, or non secular faculties, in Afghanistan.
Akhundzada’s language on Wednesday signifies a softening in the direction of fashionable schooling, or a minimum of an acknowledgement of a spot for it in Afghanistan, which is scuffling with humanitarian and financial crises.
“It’s best to research each non secular and worldly issues (fashionable schooling),” Akhundzada stated, in response to a press release. “Make your intention solely to serve faith since you are extremely valued in society. Society regards the scholars of madrassas, faculties and universities very significantly.”
He requested college students to put in writing the historical past of Afghanistan’s fighters and heroes to make them identified internationally. “Wrestle arduous to make foreigners come right here, be taught from you, and also you rule the world with the assistance of your data,” he stated.
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There have been no ladies at Wednesday’s occasion. For the reason that Taliban seized management of Afghanistan in 2021, Akhundzada has issued decrees proscribing ladies’s and ladies’ entry to schooling.
They can’t research previous sixth grade, together with college, and authorities have but to substantiate or deny reviews that they’ve stopped medical coaching for girls. Restrictions on ladies and ladies are a serious hurdle to the Taliban being recognised because the official authorities of Afghanistan.
Final month, the Worldwide Prison Courtroom’s chief prosecutor stated he had requested arrest warrants for 2 prime Taliban officers, together with Akhundzada, for the repression of girls.
