September 24, 2021

Taliban-Backed Candidate Replaced Kabul University Chancellor

T The Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education, on September 21, 2021, announced the appointment of Mohammad Ashraf Ghairat as the new chancellor of Kabul University. Mohammad Ashraf Ghairat replaced Mohammad Osman Babury, who holds a doctorate in pharmacognosy from the Philips University of Marburg, Germany. The decision has sparked outrage in the academic community.

The appointment has stirred up some older social media posts of Ghairat’s where he had openly called for violence against journalists. Several social media users expressed their reservations regarding the appointment of Ghairat as the new chancellor of Kabul University, the country’s most prestigious academic institution, running since the 1930’s. Ghairat’s academic qualifications are yet to be disclosed.

Kabul University under Ghairat will see ‘Islamisation’ of the curriculum

The politically motivated move to install Ghairat as the institution's head not only goes against the Article 5 of the Law of the Ministry of Higher Education which states that a chancellor should be selected from the senior professors of the institution, but have also led to threats of resignations from a number of Kabul University’s lecturers and professors.

Ghairat, however, said that this outrage was propaganda waged by journalists and people residing outside Afghanistan. He also claims that he is qualified for the post. Kabul University under Ghairat will see ‘Islamisation’ of the curriculum. Meaning, more appointments of pro-muslim scholars. From separate classes for men and women (stating it as a more secure and Islamic environment) to no-music-on-campus rule, Kabul University is all set to start a new academic journey.

Posted in News and tagged News, Kabul University, Afghanistan, Higher Education
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