Girls being distributed university entrance test registration forms

KABUL (Pajhwok): Female high school graduates are being distributed forms to register for upcoming university entrance test locally called ‘Kankoor’ in 31 provinces, including Kabul, says the National Examination Authority.

After returning to power in August 2021, the Islamic Emirate suspended girls higher and university education and then banned them from sitting the university entrance test until further notice.

However, in October last year, the Ministry of Higher Education concluded the first university entrance test after the Taliban’s return to power in one day, in which 14000 boys and girls participated in 33 provinces.

The Ministry of Higher Education a month ago wrote a letter to its communication department to sent it to the education departments of provinces except Nimroz, Helmand and Kandahar provinces.

In the letter, titled “Registration of 12th class graduates of public and private schools in cold and very cold regions for the academic year 1401 AH” - it is stated: “The provincial administrations are instructed to fill the forms sent by the honorable Ministry of Higher Education for the entrance exam of female graduates in the stipulated time and sent them to the ministry for principled action”.

A reliable source in the National Examination Authority confirmed the letter to Pajhwok Afghan News, saying based on the letter, forms had been given to all provincial representatives of the agency except for the three provinces. He said the forms for the entrance exam were being distributed to female high school graduates.

He did not provide information about why the entrance exam forms were not distributed to female graduates in the three provinces.

He said the distribution process of the forms was underway in other provinces. He said the final decision whether or not the girls would participate in the entrance exam would come from the Ministry of Higher Education.

Nasim Gul Sahar, information and public relations officer at the National Examination Agency, told Pajhwok: "We have submitted these forms to all the provinces according to their capacity for males and females. The distribution of the forms to females is ongoing, but what conditions will come to the fore in 1402 depends on the decisions of the Ministry of Higher Education.”

Hafiz Zia Hashmi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Higher Education, when asked if the female high school graduates would be allowed to sit the university entrance test said he had no information in this regard.

Various domestic and foreign sources have criticized the restrictions on girls’ education, but the Islamic Emirate says the ban is temporary and girls will be allowed to study after creating an environment within the framework of Islamic Sharia.

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