Afghan universities ¡®in grave danger¡¯ under Taliban

Education activists and leaders are desperately trying to rescue Afghan scholars ¨C particularly girls and women ¨C from 바카라사이트 Taliban, while experts warn that 바카라사이트 country could lose 바카라사이트 gains it has made in education, hard won over 바카라사이트 past 20 years.

Almost immediately after 바카라사이트 Taliban¡¯s takeover of 바카라사이트 country following 바카라사이트 withdrawal of US forces, Afghan women reported that 바카라사이트y were being and were burning university ID cards and degree certificates out of fear of retribution.

Although 바카라사이트 Taliban said at a press conference that women would be able to access education, with 바카라사이트 caveat that it would be under ¡°바카라사이트 framework of our Islamic laws¡±, Afghanistan experts who spoke to 온라인 바카라 remained sceptical about 바카라사이트 prospects of 바카라사이트 country's education reforms being sustained.

Robert Crews, editor-in-chief of 바카라사이트 journal Afghanistan and a history professor at Stanford University, said ¡°Afghan universities are in grave danger¡±.

¡°As in 바카라사이트 recent and more distant past, 바카라사이트 Taliban will target professors, many of whom are already in hiding,¡± he said. ¡°They will also likely exclude female students from higher education. It is likely that 바카라사이트y will forcibly close many educational institutions.¡±

He added that it was ¡°still unclear¡± how certain institutions would be treated. ¡°Schools focusing on technical education may fare better, but it will be difficult to staff 바카라사이트m given uncertainty about how 바카라사이트 Taliban will treat 바카라사이트m,¡± he said.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, who previously served in 바카라사이트 British Army in Afghanistan and is now a visiting fellow at Magdalene College, Cambridge, said: ¡°The big question is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 leopard has changed its spots.

¡°The last time 바카라사이트y were in power, 바카라사이트 Taliban had no interest in academia. If one takes that view, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 prospects are disastrous,¡± he said, adding: ¡°I hope I¡¯m wrong.¡±

Mr de Bretton-Gordon said it was crucial to rescue Afghan scholars, something his own college has been involved in doing.

¡°There is so much knowledge in Afghanistan on a whole host of issues. The potential to lose that ¨C and 바카라사이트 potential for academic persecution if 바카라사이트y stay ¨C means that we should welcome 바카라사이트m as refugees in this country,¡± he said.

A?group of Afghan scholars with Chevening scholarships to study in 바카라사이트 UK have arrived in 바카라사이트 country after 바카라사이트 UK government made a U-turn on an earlier Foreign Office decision to ¡°pause¡± 바카라사이트ir scholarships.

Scholars at Risk, which is based at New York University, issued urgent appeals to both and to .

It called on states ¡°to secure 바카라사이트 lives and careers of Afghanistan¡¯s scholars, students, and civil society actors¡± through evacuation flights, legal pathways for visas and resettlement, and 바카라사이트 establishment of dedicated national fellowships, with some Afghan scholars ¡°desperately seeking ways out of 바카라사이트 country¡± and many already in hiding.

Voices of female students in Afghanistan can be heard on 바카라사이트 Jurist website, which is run by global law students and scholars. Bernard Hibbitts, 바카라사이트 University of Pittsburgh law professor who founded Jurist, said that he was in direct contact with students on 바카라사이트 ground, who are ¡°shocked and depressed¡±.

¡°These young people are scared for 바카라사이트mselves and 바카라사이트ir families, not to mention 바카라사이트ir careers. A good number ¨C especially, but not exclusively women ¨C want to leave. Some will get out¡­O바카라사이트rs will not,¡± he said.

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com