RASC News Agency: Qari Mohammad Sidiq Makhless, the head of the Taliban’s intelligence agency in Parwan province, has declared that teachers should not only educate students in academic subjects but also provide lessons in religious and ideological matters. During a ceremony to mark the beginning of the new academic year in Parwan, Makhless stated, “Teachers and educators have the responsibility to shape the future generation not just in academic subjects but also to foster their religious, ideological, and intellectual development. It is crucial that they teach the principles of Islam (as interpreted by the Taliban) in a clear and accurate manner, ensuring students acquire a full understanding of the faith and its tenets.”
Hekmat Shamil, the Taliban’s spokesperson in Parwan, shared Makhless’s remarks on his X (formerly Twitter) account. This statement from a Taliban official highlights their continued push to influence the ideological education of Afghanistani students, a move that has sparked widespread condemnation due to the Taliban’s interpretation of Islam being seen as extremist. The Taliban, as a group, is largely regarded as a terrorist organization. Education experts have warned that such remarks reflect the Taliban’s increasing intervention in Afghanistan’s educational system, suggesting that this effort could politicize and ideologize the curriculum with potentially harmful consequences. Moreover, experts have raised concerns that this ongoing approach will exacerbate the spread of extremism and further fuel division within the country. While the Taliban’s interference in the education sector continues, the group has also established thousands of religious schools across Afghanistan over the past three years. These institutions are often criticized for offering education that many educational experts consider to be violent and terroristic in nature.
The Taliban’s establishment of such schools is viewed as a deliberate attempt to promote and proliferate their ideological agenda. Despite the group itself being composed largely of individuals with limited formal education or those who graduated from religious institutions, the Taliban continues to strongly support and promote these schools as a means of spreading its religious and political beliefs. This ongoing initiative has been widely condemned as harmful to the future of Afghanistani youth, yet the Taliban remains committed to bolstering these religious educational institutions.
