The Ministry of Higher Education under Taliban rule has decided to close four private universities named Qalam, Istiqamat, Ibn Sina, and Dunya.
This decision was officially made due to “failure to meet relevant legal and educational standards,” though sources indicate political and religious motivations also played a role.
Ibn Sina Private University, located in Kabul and affiliated with the Shia religious community, is among the closed institutions.
During the previous government, this university was considered one of Afghanistan’s active and credible private educational institutions.
University officials report that the Ministry of Higher Education plans to close all private universities affiliated with the Shia community under various pretexts.
According to sources, the ministry has prepared an initial list of over thirty private universities connected to high-ranking officials of the previous regime, expected to be closed on charges of “political activities and actions against the current government.”
These closures have raised new concerns about the free educational environment in Afghanistan’s higher education sector, adding to existing challenges facing private universities.
