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Female students in the capital – Kabul University and others reopened in the spring after the Taliban took control
The Taliban has announced the closure of universities for women in Afghanistan, according to a message from the Minister of Higher Education.
The Minister says the change is effective immediately and must be followed until further notice.
This measure limits women’s access to formal education, as females have already been excluded from secondary education.
Three months ago, thousands of girls and women sat for university entrance exams across Afghanistan, but vast restrictions were imposed on the subjects they could study.
Fields such as veterinary medicine, engineering, economics, and agriculture are off-limits, and journalism has been considered a severely restricted course.
After the Taliban seized power last year, universities added gender-segregated classrooms and entrances.
Students can only be taught by female teachers or seniors.
In November, authorities banned women from parks in the capital, Kabul, claiming they did not follow Islamic law there.
