Education
Afghan universities deserted as Taliban impose new rules
Universities in Kabul were almost empty on the first day of the Afghan school year, as professors and students wrestled with the Taliban’s restrictive new rules for the classroom.
The Taliban have promised a softer rule than during their first stint in power from 1996-2001, when women’s freedoms in Afghanistan were sharply curtailed and they were banned from higher education.
This time, the hardline Islamist group have said women will be allowed to go to private universities under the new regime, but they face tough restrictions on their clothing and movement.
Women can only attend class if they wear an abaya — a flowing robe — and a niqab — a face veil with a small window to see through — and are separated from men, the Taliban said.
“Our students don’t accept this and we will have to close the university,” said Noor Ali Rahmani, the director of Gharjistan University in Kabul, on an almost empty campus on Monday.
“Our students wear the hijab, not the niqab,” he added, referring to a headscarf.
The Taliban education authority issued a lengthy document on Sunday outlining their measures for the classroom, which also ruled that men and women should be segregated — or at least divided by a curtain if there are 15 students or less.
“We said we didn’t accept it because it will be difficult to do,” Rahmani told AFP.
“We also said that it is not real Islam, it is not what the Koran says.”
From now on at private colleges and universities, which have mushroomed since the Taliban’s first rule ended, women must only be taught by other women, or “old men”, and use a women-only entrance.
They must also end their lessons five minutes earlier than men to stop them from mingling outside.
So far, the Taliban has said nothing about public universities.
– ‘Let’s engage’ –
For some students, however, it was a relief that women would still be able to attend university at all under a new Taliban regime.
Zuhra Bahman, who runs a scholarship programme for women in Afghanistan, said on social media she had spoken to some of the students.
“They are happy to go back to university, albeit in hijab,” she said.
“Taliban opening universities for women is a key progress. Let’s continue to engage to agree on other rights and freedoms.”
Jalil Tadjlil, a spokesman for Ibn-e Sina University in the capital, said separate entrances had already been created for men and women.
“We didn’t have the authority to accept or reject the decisions that have been imposed,” he told AFP, blaming the “ongoing uncertainty” for the lack of students.
The university posted a picture online of male and female students separated by a curtain.
Images shared on Facebook by its department of economics and management showed six women wearing the hijab and ten male students with a grey curtain running between them, as a male teacher wrote on a whiteboard.
– ‘Everything changed’ –
Usually, campus corridors on the first day of the term would be packed with students catching up after the summer.
But on Monday, there was a strikingly low turnout at Kabul’s universities, leaving education leaders wondering just how many young, talented people have fled the country as part of the “brain drain”.
Rahmani said only 10 to 20 percent of the 1,000 students who enrolled last year came to Gharjistan University on Monday, although there were no classes scheduled.
He estimated up to 30 percent of the students left Afghanistan after the Taliban seized control in the middle of August.
“We have to see first if students come,” he said.
Reza Ramazan, a computer science teacher at the university said women students were particularly at risk when travelling to campus.
“It can be dangerous at checkpoints,” he said. “The Taliban can check their phones and computers.”
For 28-year-old computer science student Amir Hussein, “everything changed completely” after the Taliban takeover.
“Many students are not interested anymore in studying because they don’t know what their future will be,” he said.
“Most of them want to leave Afghanistan.”
The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede (FEDPA), Oyo State, Dr. Taofeek Abdul-Hameed, has been honoured with the Leadership Excellence and Education Icon Award in recognition of his contributions to the education sector and national development.
The award was presented by Bollyjoe Media Communications Ltd, a media and communications firm based in Abuja, the nation’s capital on Wednesday.
Presenting the award, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Joseph Uzuakpundu Bollyjoe, said Abdul-Hameed was recognised for his selfless service and transformative leadership within Nigeria’s polytechnic education system.
He noted that under the Rector’s stewardship, the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, had witnessed strategic reforms aimed at strengthening academic standards and promoting institutional stability.
According to him, the Rector’s policies have repositioned the institution for sustainable growth and aligned its technical education programmes with global best practices.
Since assuming office, the Rector has prioritised infrastructural development, administrative discipline and innovation-driven governance, earning commendations from stakeholders.
Reacting to the honour, Abdul-Hameed, described the award as a motivation to further deepen reforms and consolidate on existing achievements.
“This recognition is not just personal; it reflects the dedication of our management, staff and students who share the vision of building a globally competitive institution,” the Rector said.
He added that the polytechnic would remain committed to excellence, integrity and continuous development in line with national educational aspirations.
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday described the Federal Polytechnic Ayede as the best-performing among federal polytechnics established in 2021, commending its infrastructural expansion and academic stability as the institution graduated 325 students at its maiden convocation ceremony.
Tinubu, who is the Visitor to the institution, was represented by the Director, Polytechnics and Allied Institutions, Dr. Usman Ejeh. He said the polytechnic’s achievements within five years were “remarkable and strategic,” adding that its growth aligns with the Federal Government’s reform agenda for technical and vocational education.
“The Federal Polytechnic Ayede has distinguished itself among its peers established in 2021. Its commitment to infrastructure, skills acquisition, and academic stability clearly positions it as a model institution,” he said.
The President noted that his administration had introduced key reforms, including the students’ loan scheme under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, curriculum modernisation, infrastructural renewal, and digital skills expansion to reposition the education sector.
“We are determined to build institutions that will produce innovators, entrepreneurs, and solution providers for our economy,” he added, urging the management to consolidate on existing gains.
Earlier, the Rector, Dr. Taofeek Abdul-Hameed, described the combined convocation for the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic sessions as a defining milestone in the institution’s history.
“We gather here today to officially present to the world the first set of graduates produced by the Federal Polytechnic Ayede. This indeed calls for celebration,” he said.
The rector expressed appreciation to Tinubu for policies aimed at strengthening technical education and acknowledged the support of regulatory and funding agencies, including the National Board for Technical Education and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, for accreditation and infrastructural interventions that accelerated the institution’s development.
He disclosed that 138 students graduated in the 2023/2024 session and 187 in the 2024/2025 session, bringing the total number of graduands to 325.
According to him, Miss Taiwo Ibukunoluwa Arinola of Science Laboratory Technology and Mr. Olapese Quadri Ayofe of Agricultural Technology emerged as the overall best graduating students for their respective sessions with a cumulative grade point average of 3.96.
Beyond the award of National Diploma certificates, Abdul-Hameed said each graduand obtained at least two additional vocational certifications through the Centre for Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development.
“Our graduates are not just job seekers but employers of labour. We have deliberately equipped them with relevant entrepreneurial and technical competencies,” he said, adding that 68 major projects had been executed across the temporary and permanent sites through TETFund interventions, Federal Government appropriations, and donor support.
The projects, he said, include a main administrative building, ICT centre, health centre, engineering workshops, and improved power infrastructure, while the institution also recorded over 64 research projects and nine TETFund-supported fabrication innovations. He also reaffirmed the polytechnic’s resolve to relocate fully to its permanent site in Ayede, Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area, and appealed for improved access roads and hostel accommodation.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Governing Council, Hon. Yakubu Dati, described the ceremony as a celebration of vision and collective commitment, urging government, corporate organisations, and well-meaning Nigerians to support the institution with critical infrastructure, particularly road networks and student hostels, through direct intervention or Public-Private Partnership arrangements. He commended the Federal Government, the Oyo State Government, and the host community for sustaining a peaceful environment, and appreciated the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, who was also the guest lecturer, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, for supporting the construction of an access road to the institution.
Fellowship awards were conferred on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji; and Dr Abubakar Isa.
The event attracted traditional rulers, including the Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye; the Timi of Ede, Oba Adesola Munirudeen Lawal; and the Aresa of Iresapupa, Oba Moses Olayiwola Ajiboye, as well as Senators Ayo Adeseun, Abdulfatai Buhari, prominent Ogbomoso leaders, rectors of sister polytechnics, scholars, and other dignitaries.
Education
Oyo: Speaker Abbas, NRS Chair, Adedeji to Attend Ayede Polytechnic’s Maiden Convocation as 325 Set to Graduate
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas, and the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Dr. Zacch Adelabu Adedeji, will on Thursday grace the maiden combined convocation ceremony of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Oyo State, where no fewer than 325 students will be awarded National Diploma certificates.
The Pioneer Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Taofeek Abdul-Hameed, disclosed this on Monday during a pre-convocation press conference at the institution’s Permanent Site in Ayede, describing the event as “a defining milestone” in the history of the young federal institution.
“This is the first convocation of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, since its establishment on January 19, 2021, and it marks our transition from take-off to consolidation,” the Rector said.
Abdul-Hameed said the speaker would chair the convocation lecture, while the NRS boss, Adedeji would deliver the lecture titled, ‘The Role of Technology in Implementing Nigeria’s New Tax Laws: Challenges and Prospects’, noting that the calibre of invited dignitaries reflected the institution’s rising national profile.
“The presence of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service underscores the growing relevance of the Polytechnic in national development discourse,” he said.
According to the Rector, the combined convocation covers the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic sessions and will span six days, featuring a novelty football match, convocation lecture, award of National Diploma certificates, and the conferment of fellowship honours.
He disclosed that 138 students completed their programmes in the 2023/2024 academic session, while 187 students graduated in the 2024/2025 session, bringing the total number of graduands to 325.
On academic expansion, Abdul-Hameed said the Polytechnic commenced academic activities in 2023 with four National Diploma programmes but has grown to run 13 fully accredited ND programmes across five schools.
“We currently operate across the Schools of Engineering, Environmental Technology, Management Sciences, Science and Technology, and Agricultural Technology, all with full NBTE accreditation,” he stated.
The Rector attributed the institution’s rapid growth to sustained support from the Federal Government under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alongside interventions from the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Board for Technical Education, and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
“These interventions have strengthened our capacity in programme accreditation, staff development, and infrastructure delivery,” he said.
Abdul-Hameed further revealed that the Polytechnic had executed 68 major infrastructural, ICT, and utility projects across its Permanent and Temporary campuses, adding that work was ongoing on the access road linking the Permanent Site from Idi-Araba.
“While we have made significant progress, we still require support in access roads, student hostels, power supply, water facilities, and digital infrastructure to sustain our growth,” the Rector appealed.
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