UN Rapporteur Warns Madrassa Expansion Could Deepen Afghanistan’s Education Crisis

The rapid expansion of madrassas under Taliban rule could permanently reshape Afghanistan’s social fabric and deepen its education crisis, UN special rapporteur Richard Bennett warned in a new report.

Bennett said religious education has long been part of Afghanistan’s education system. But he raised concerns about the pace and scale of the expansion under the Taliban.

The warning links the growth of religious schools to broader questions about the future of education in Afghanistan and the country’s social structure.