KUALA LUMPUR — The Taliban Government’s recent visit to Malaysia is part of its efforts to elevate Afghanistan’s education system to international standards.
Since taking control of Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban has faced criticism for its regressive education policies, particularly those restricting girls from accessing higher education.
A Taliban official told Scoop that these claims are Western propaganda, and the visit, which took place from November 11 to 17, was aimed at understanding Malaysia’s exemplary education system.
Irshadulhaq Sadiqi, the Afghan Education Ministry’s external relations chief, explained that the 10-member delegation arrived in Malaysia at the invitation of the Malaysian Government.
The visit, facilitated by an NGO, had been planned almost a year ago.
“For decades, Malaysia has maintained a good relationship with the Afghan people.
“In the past, when we struggled in our fight against the Soviet Union, Malaysia supported us.
“So, when we learned that the Malaysian Education Ministry was open to meeting with us, we accepted the invitation,” said Irshadulhaq when contacted.
The delegation included several senior officials from Afghanistan’s Education Ministry, including department directors.
They visited various educational institutions in Malaysia, including the all-girls Tunku Kurshiah College in Seremban.
When asked if the visit to an all-girls institution was aimed at learning how to include Afghan women in the education sector, Irshadulhaq clarified that the Taliban administration has not prohibited girls from attending school.
He said that girls in Afghanistan are allowed to attend madrasahs from grade one to twelve and that there are institutions training women to become medical professionals.
“According to statistics, more than 27,000 teachers are actively teaching in Afghanistan. If we were against girls’ education, how could we allow that?” he said.
“There are challenges regarding modern schools, where we only allow girls from grade one to six. For grades six to twelve, the government has not closed the doors, and we are working to improve education in that sector.”
Irshadulhaq also said that Afghanistan’s current policy does not permit female political leaders, in line with Sharia law. He emphasised that gender was not an issue during the delegation’s meetings in Malaysia.
“We’re not against (women political leaders). We follow Sharia and whatever Islam prescribes.
“Our focus here was to understand Malaysia’s education system, not on the gender of those we met,” he said.
Afghanistan’s Education Ministry tweeted that the delegation departed Malaysia on November 17.
The Afghan government stated that both sides had held detailed discussions on overcoming educational challenges, enhancing quality, and exploring opportunities for future cooperation.
Last Saturday, Malaysian Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek confirmed that the ministry had hosted officials from the Taliban-led government earlier this month.
She stated that the Afghan delegation had been allowed to observe and learn from Malaysia’s education system.
However, the visit sparked criticism from Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng, who questioned why Malaysia’s Education Ministry hosted the Afghan delegation, given the Taliban’s policies restricting girls from attending secondary schools and universities. — November 21, 2024