Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – The Taliban-controlled Ministry of Education in Afghanistan announced on Monday the start of registration for the 2024 university entrance exams, known as the Kankor, but for the third consecutive year, female students remain prohibited from registering. Only male high school and religious seminary graduates are eligible to apply.
This exclusion stems from the Taliban’s 2021 decision to ban girls from education beyond sixth grade, a policy that has blocked millions of Afghan girls from secondary and higher education. In December 2022, the Taliban officially extended this prohibition to universities, further restricting women’s educational opportunities.
The Ministry spokesperson Mansoor Ahmad Hamza encouraged eligible male students to register online, avoiding any reference to the continued exclusion of female students. The registration period for this year’s Kankor exams extends until the end of January.
Despite ongoing criticism and calls for change, Taliban authorities have upheld this ban, leaving thousands of qualified young women unable to pursue higher education and forcing many into prolonged uncertainty.
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