Hundreds of students of the Kabul University- the biggest in Afghanistan are boycotting their classes following the threat of mass resignations by more than 70 university teachers after Taliban sacked the sitting Vice-Chancellor. Professors and lecturers at Kabul University have given the Taliban one week to replace the newly appointed chancellor or they would all resign in protest.
“The University Professors' Union has set a one-week deadline for the Taliban to reconsider their appointment of Ashraf Ghairat as the President of Kabul University. The union called on university professors to wait for the union's next decision if the Taliban declined their demand,” said the union in a statement.
#Afghanistan University Lecturers Association gives Taliban an ultimatum of 1 week to revisit their decision on appointing unqualified chancellors for public universities & stop politicising academic institutions. Next move to be announced later next week. pic.twitter.com/UeUQlyd6Fs
— Kabul Chronicle (@KabulChronicle) September 23, 2021
The Taliban has replaced Dr Muhammad Osman Babury, a well-known academician with Mohammad Ashraf Ghairat, a member of their cultural commission, who has graduated from a Talibani Madarsa. His only experience is teaching in local Madarsa.
Following his appointment, the new head of the Kabul University said that he has been asked to clean the Kabul University of Western and infidel thoughts, vulgarity and moral corruption. He stressed his intent to convert the varsity into a centre of religious values (madrassa). He also claimed that he has a Bachelor degree in Sharia law.
He says he will cleanse Kabul University of Western and infidel thoughts, vulgarity and moral corruption. And will convert the varsity into a center of religious values (read madrassa). He’s claimed to have a Bachelor in Sharia 🤣 pic.twitter.com/OzeW9fsC14
— Saleem Javed (@mSaleemJaved) September 21, 2021
Ghairat replaced Babury, who was appointed as chancellor in May 2020 last year by the former Chancellor of the university and the President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani. He taught pharmacognosy (study of medicines produced from natural sources) and phytotherapy (study of the use of extracts of natural origin as medicines).
According to the Kabul University website, Babury completed his B.Sc. in Pharmacy and M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Pyatigorsk Pharmaceutical Institute in Russia in 1985. He has two doctorates in Germany and Afghanistan. He studied in India and Russia, and has published dozens of scientific papers on herbal medicine and pharmacognosy.
Meanwhile, after his appointment, Ghairat’s previous tweets surfaced on social media where he had called for killings of journalists and officials of the previous government.
A tweet by the new Taliban Chancellor of Kabul University:
“A spy journalist is more dangerous than a hundred Arbaki (Local Police/Paramilitary).
I doubt faith of who restrain from killing journalists.
Kill Spy Journalists.
Contain Media” pic.twitter.com/vaPZ3qRinD— Sami Mahdi (@Samiullah_mahdi) September 22, 2021
His appointment as the new chancellor of the university has sparked outrage.
Obaidullah Wardak, lecturer at Kabul University said in his post : “I prefer to sell potatoes or work as a bus driver but I cannot work for a moment with a new director plus bachelor degree that was appointed by the Taliban”.
Obaidullah Wardak, lecturer at Kabul University: I prefer to sell potatoes or working as a bus driver but I cannot work for a moment with new director plus bachelor degree that appointed by Taliban.
Wardak has Ph.D among 70 professors that resigned. pic.twitter.com/CKU1CwVCpF— Siawash Khayyam (@khayyam_Siawash) September 23, 2021
Founded in 1931 by the last king of Afghanistan Muhammad Nadir Shah, the Kabul University is the oldest in the country where approximately 22,000 students’ study and of these, nearly 43% are female. The University has been attacked a number of times by the Taliban and The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) before the Taliban’s takeover of the country last month. Last year on November2, 2020, suicide bombers attacked the university , killing more than 50 students and teachers, and wounding nearly 100. After the Taliban stormed to power, their first order was to separate classes for male and female students. Women were separated from their male peers by curtains or boards down the middle of class rooms.
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