Taliban Higher Education Minister: Universities Must Prioritize Religious Education

Taliban Higher Education Minister: Universities Must Prioritize Religious Education
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Afghanistan’s Minister of Higher Education, Mullah Neda Mohammad Nadeem, stated that universities should not only teach modern sciences but also focus on fundamental religious education. Speaking at Kabul University on September 16, Nadeem emphasized that religion is central to Afghan identity and must guide thoughts, actions, and ethics.

He noted that Kabul University already integrates religious studies alongside other disciplines and called for this model to be adopted nationwide.
Currently, higher education in Afghanistan remains restricted to male students, with women and girls still barred from attending universities following recent Taliban policies.

Over the past four years, the Taliban has expanded religious schooling and revised curricula to include more Islamic content—moves seen by experts as part of broader ideological reforms amid ongoing global criticism.