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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Afghan Taliban 'end' opposition to educating girls | Afghan Taliban 'end' opposition to educating girls |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Taliban are ready to drop their ban on schooling girls in Afghanistan, the country's education minister has said. | The Taliban are ready to drop their ban on schooling girls in Afghanistan, the country's education minister has said. |
| Farooq Wardak told the UK's Times Educational Supplement a "cultural change" meant the Taliban were "no more opposing girls' education". | Farooq Wardak told the UK's Times Educational Supplement a "cultural change" meant the Taliban were "no more opposing girls' education". |
| The Taliban - who have been fighting the Kabul government - have made no public comment on the issue. | |
| Afghan women were not allowed to work or get an education under the Taliban regime overthrown in 2001. | Afghan women were not allowed to work or get an education under the Taliban regime overthrown in 2001. |
| Local deals | Local deals |
| Mr Wardak made his comments during the Education World Forum in London. | Mr Wardak made his comments during the Education World Forum in London. |
| He told the TES: "What I am hearing at the very upper policy level of the Taliban is that they are no more opposing education and also girls' education. | He told the TES: "What I am hearing at the very upper policy level of the Taliban is that they are no more opposing education and also girls' education. |
| "I hope, Inshallah (God willing), soon there will be a peaceful negotiation, a meaningful negotiation with our own opposition and that will not compromise at all the basic human rights and basic principles which have been guiding us to provide quality and balanced education to our people," the minister added. | "I hope, Inshallah (God willing), soon there will be a peaceful negotiation, a meaningful negotiation with our own opposition and that will not compromise at all the basic human rights and basic principles which have been guiding us to provide quality and balanced education to our people," the minister added. |
| Across the country agreements have been struck at a local level between militants and village elders to allow girls and female teachers to return to schools, the BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Kabul reports. | |
| Last October, Afghan President Hamid Karzai confirmed unofficial talks with Taliban leaders were under way in an attempt to end the bloody insurgency that has wrecked the troubled country for more than nine years. | Last October, Afghan President Hamid Karzai confirmed unofficial talks with Taliban leaders were under way in an attempt to end the bloody insurgency that has wrecked the troubled country for more than nine years. |
| Mr Wardak's words suggest the negotiations have gone beyond issues like the release of prisoners to touch on areas of government policy, correspondents say. | Mr Wardak's words suggest the negotiations have gone beyond issues like the release of prisoners to touch on areas of government policy, correspondents say. |
| However, the education minister admitted historical opposition to schooling extended beyond the Taliban to the "deepest pockets" of Afghan society. | However, the education minister admitted historical opposition to schooling extended beyond the Taliban to the "deepest pockets" of Afghan society. |
| "That is the reason that in many provinces of Afghanistan we do not have either male or female teacher. | "That is the reason that in many provinces of Afghanistan we do not have either male or female teacher. |
| "During the Taliban era the percentage of girls of the one million students that we had was 0%. The percentage of female teachers was 0%. Today 38% of our students and 30% of our teachers are female," he said. | "During the Taliban era the percentage of girls of the one million students that we had was 0%. The percentage of female teachers was 0%. Today 38% of our students and 30% of our teachers are female," he said. |
| Britain's plea | Britain's plea |
| Mr Wardak also criticised the UK government for not providing more money for schools in Afghanistan. | Mr Wardak also criticised the UK government for not providing more money for schools in Afghanistan. |
| The UK's Department for International Development spent £12m ($19m) on schooling in Afghanistan in 2009-10. | The UK's Department for International Development spent £12m ($19m) on schooling in Afghanistan in 2009-10. |
| A spokeswoman said the UK remained committed to improving education in Afghanistan. | A spokeswoman said the UK remained committed to improving education in Afghanistan. |
| "Last year, the British government financed the salaries of 169,000 teachers through the Afghanistan reconstruction trust fund. | "Last year, the British government financed the salaries of 169,000 teachers through the Afghanistan reconstruction trust fund. |
| "Through the national solidarity programme, we have helped Afghan communities to build schools in every province of the country," she said. | "Through the national solidarity programme, we have helped Afghan communities to build schools in every province of the country," she said. |