Taliban Leader Orders Expansion of AI Education in Universities

DID Press: While girls remain barred from higher education in Afghanistan, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has ordered the formation of new academic units, including programs in artificial intelligence.

Akhundzada approved the establishment of 633 new educational and administrative units across Afghanistan universities “to advance scientific knowledge and modern technologies,” according to the Ministry of Higher Education.

The new units will cover disciplines such as computer science, engineering, mathematics, and artificial intelligence. Some of the units will be based in medical faculties and administrative departments in universities in Badakhshan and Ghazni provinces.

The Ministry said that the initiative aims to “enhance academic standards and meet the needs of universities.”

However, girls in Afghanistan remain prohibited from education beyond sixth grade, drawing widespread domestic and international criticism. Education officials say that establishing modern scientific units while excluding half the population reflects a contradictory policy with limited impact on the country’s higher education progress.