The Taliban's Ministry of Higher Education has issued a new directive ordering the gradual elimination of law, political science, and international relations programs from private Afghan universities. The directive, issued by the ministry's leadership council, was sent to all private universities three days ago. The stated reason is a decline in student enrollment and limited job opportunities for graduates.
Under the directive, private universities must phase out these programs and propose alternative fields with higher demand. The replacement programs must not include medicine or dentistry. The plan is set to be implemented first in private universities and then extended to public institutions.
The directive provides no clarity on the fate of currently enrolled students, faculty members, or the exact timeline for implementation. The decision has intensified concerns about the future of higher education and the narrowing of academic freedom in Afghanistan.
#HigherEducation #Taliban #Law #PoliticalScience #Afghanistan
