Taliban official says Afghan girls of all ages permitted to study in religious schools

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A Taliban official says Afghan girls of all ages are allowed to study in Islamic religious schools that are traditionally boys-only. The Taliban have been globally condemned for banning girls and women from education beyond sixth grade, including university. Madrassas are one of the few options for girls after sixth grade to receive any kind of education. A spokesman at the Education Ministry in Kabul said Thursday there are no age restrictions for girls at government-controlled madrassas. The only requirement is that girls must be in a madrassa class appropriate to their age. Females of any age, including adult women, can study at private madrassas, he said.