On Friday, a member of the committee that reviews textbooks gave an update on the ban to BBC Afghan. An educational decree that also forbids education courses that are “deemed in conflict with Islamic Sharia” also includes the blacklisting.
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The committee member claimed that “all books written by women are not permitted to be taught.”
He continued, noting that at least 679 titles had been banned for their “anti-Sharia and Taliban policies.”
The subjects covered by the books include texts on human rights, Western political theory, Islamic political movements, and texts on constitutional law.
Later, universities will receive a final list of the books that are prohibited.
The deputy higher education minister of the Taliban, Ziaur Rahman Aryoubi, signed a directive that was seen by BBC Afghan, and Afghan universities received a 50-page list of prohibited books at the end of last month.
Aryoubi advised universities in a letter to the universities that a panel of “religious scholars and experts” had made the recommendations, and that banned books should be replaced with course materials that “do not conflict with Islam.”
The Taliban’s latest string of restrictions was announced with the decree four years after taking office.
The Taliban has retaliated in numerous ways in the field of education, starting with the firing of hundreds of professors because they “opposed” the organization’s ideology, and requiring religious coursework at all universities.
Particularly affected are women. After the sixth grade (12 years old), they are no longer permitted to study.
Additionally, the university has been ordered to halt the instruction of 18 subjects, six of which include gender and development. Another 201 course was being reviewed.
Misogynistic outlook
Former deputy justice minister of justice before the Taliban’s return in August 2021, Zakia Adeli, the author of the banned books Political Terminology and International Relations, told BBC Afghan that she was shocked by the decision.
It was not unreasonable to expect the Taliban to change the curriculum, Adeli said, “Considering what they have done over the past four years.”
It is only natural that when women are denied the opportunity to study because of the Taliban’s misogynistic mindset and policies, their opinions, ideas, and writings are also suppressed.
The ban on such a large number of textbooks, according to sources in the capital’s Kabul, will sever significant resources from universities’ efforts to find and purchase replacement textbooks.
A further 300 written by Iranian authors or distributed by Iranian publishers are the targets, besides the 300 women-authored books.
This was intended to “prevent the infiltration of Iranian content,” according to sources, including a member of the book review committee.
Source: Aljazeera
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