What happened: On March 23, Taliban ordered girls’ secondary schools in Afghanistan to close just hours after they reopened on, causing uncertainty and sadness over the hardline group’s policy reversal. Inamullah Samangani, a Taliban spokesman, told AFP that they are not allowed to comment on the situation yet. Details: When an AFP crew arrived at Zarghona High School in Kabul’s capital, a teacher announced that the class was over. Students, who were returning to school for the first time since the Taliban took power in Aug 2021, sobbed as they packed their bags and filed out. Palwasha, a teacher at Kabul’s Omra Khan girls’ school, stated, “I see my children crying. It is horrible.” Deborah Lyons, a United Nations spokesperson, described the closure as “disturbing.” She tweeted, “If true, what could possibly be the reason?” What you need to know: In Aug 2021, schools were closed when the Taliban took power, but only boys and younger girls were allowed to return two months later. There were fears that, as they did during their first term in office from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban would shut down all formal education for girls. The right to education for everyone has been a sticking issue in international negotiations over aid and recognition of the new Taliban rule, with some countries and organisations propose to pay the teachers. Previously: The Taliban stated how they wanted to ensure that schools for girls aged 12 to 19 were segregated and that they followed Islamic values. The Taliban placed a variety of restrictions on women, effectively barring them from numerous government professions, monitoring what they wear, and prohibiting them from leaving their cities alone. Several women’s rights activists have also been detained.