IEA’s higher education minister confirms public universities to reopen soon

Mawlavi Abdul Baqi Haqqani, the Islamic Emirate’s acting minister of higher education, said the reason for the closure of state universities was because of financial problems but stated these issues would be resolved and the education facilities would reopen soon.

Speaking at a press conference in Kabul on Wednesday, Haqqani said that there are 40 public and 150 private universities in Afghanistan, all of which will be operational from September. He said government universities will soon reopen.

Haqqani said the Ministry of Higher Education was committed to standardizing all educational institutions in the country and that private universities without licenses would no longer have the right to enroll new students.

He said efforts were being made to make Afghanistan’s education system competitive with the rest of the world. He also said scholarships for Afghan students have been discussed with officials from the Ministries of Higher Education of Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and the European Union.

Haqqani reiterated that the country’s education system is based on the Islamic system and that all Sharia and Islamic laws must be observed at educational institutions.