Taliban Ministry: Afghan female students are prohibited from taking university entrance exams

Underscoring its goal to exclude women from postsecondary education, the Taliban-run Ministry of Higher Education in Afghanistan has instructed private institutions not to allow female students to take university admission examinations the next month.

Institutions in Afghanistan's northern regions, including Kabul, where examinations are scheduled to begin at the end of February, received a letter from the government. According to the letter, any institutions breaking the restrictions will be subject to legal action.

Universities were instructed to stop accepting female students by the Higher Education Ministry in December, "until further notice." Days afterwards, the government forbade the majority of female NGO employees from working. Most high schools for females have also been shut down by the government.

The limitations on women's employment and education have received criticism on a global scale. In order to have a chance of receiving official international recognition and a reduction in its economic isolation, the Taliban would need to reform its views on women, according to Western officials.

Help organizations have warned that tens of millions of people need immediate aid since the nation is now experiencing an economic crisis, which is partially caused by sanctions that are harming its banking sector and a reduction in development funds.

However, a World Bank study released this week said that the Taliban government, which has stated that it is focused on increasing economic self-sufficiency, had maintained excellent tax collection last year and increased exports.