Poll: Reopening Universities to Women Dominant Public Demand
DID Press: A new survey conducted by DID Press Agency shows that citizens consider “official Iranian pressure on the Taliban to reopen universities to female students” as the single crucial step that could benefit Afghanistan’s higher education sector during the Taliban Minister of Higher Education’s ongoing meetings in Tehran. Improving academic conditions for Afghanistan students in Iran and establishing international oversight of the Taliban’s education policies rank next in priority.
The poll—conducted among DID audience to assess public expectations of the Taliban minister’s trip—provides a clear snapshot of the concerns and priorities shaping public and academic discourse.
According to the results, 62 percent of respondents identified Iran’s formal intervention to reopen universities for women as their top demand. This response reflects deep public anxiety over the prolonged exclusion of women from higher education—a policy affecting half of the country’s young population. The findings suggest that many Afghans expect Tehran to use its diplomatic influence to press for a reversal of the Taliban’s restrictive measures.
In second place, 25 percent of participants called for negotiations aimed at improving residency and study conditions for Afghan students in Iran.
Meanwhile, 13 percent of those surveyed said that creating a transparent mechanism for international monitoring of the Taliban’s educational policies would be the most effective measure—highlighting widespread concern about the lack of transparency and the potential politicization of curricula under Taliban rule.
By contrast, the option advocating the reinstatement of removed subjects and the standardization of curricula received no votes, indicating that respondents view such reforms as unrealistic or irrelevant without first addressing more urgent issues such as the ban on women’s education and limitations on student mobility.
Overall, the poll suggests that the Afghan public expects tangible, outcome-driven results from the Taliban’s diplomatic engagements abroad. The top priorities remain clear: the return of women to universities, improved conditions for Afghan students in neighboring countries, and stronger oversight of the education system. Without progress in these areas, meaningful reform in Afghanistan’s higher-education sector appears unattainable.