Islamabad, 28 September 2025 (dpa/MIA) – The Taliban-run Ministry of Higher Education has banned the use of 679 textbooks and academic materials across Afghan universities, according to an official directive distributed to institutions nationwide.

A copy of the directive obtained by dpa was signed by the Taliban’s deputy higher education minister, Zia-ul-Rahman Aryoubi, along with a 50-page list of banned books and materials.

In the directive, the ministry stated that a special committee had reviewed educational content across universities and found the materials incompatible with ideological, religious, political, cultural, and academic guidelines. Universities have been instructed to suspend the use of the listed materials until suitable alternatives are identified.

The banned books span a wide range of subjects, including Islamic studies, law, economics, journalism, literature, psychology, engineering, medicine, agriculture, and environmental science.

According to the list, many of the banned books were published by Iranian publishers, though works by Arab, Western, and Afghan authors are also included. Books written by women are among those banned, but the ministry has not said clearly whether all books by female authors are banned.

An official within the ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity, said an initial proposal called for banning all books by Iranian publishers and female authors, but a reassessment of women’s works was underway. No final decision has been announced, he added.

A university professor in Herat said that earlier removals targeted books linked to Salafi thought, followed by titles covering democracy, imperialism, and gender equality. The professor noted that while the ministry has urged faculty to teach certain subjects with an "Islamic approach," the appropriate materials are lacking.

The Ministry of Higher Education has not responded to inquiries from dpa.

Since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, Afghan girls have been banned from studying beyond primary school. This decision, initially referred to by the Taliban as a "temporary suspension," has not been reversed. No other Muslim-majority country prohibits girls from receiving an education. Islamic law does not prohibit women and girls from education.

Except for Russia, the Taliban government remains unrecognized by the international community.

Photo: EPA