New Afghan education minister says PhDs, Master's degrees of no value

The Taliban says it is an improved version of the hardline group that the world knows it to be, but time and again its leaders make statements that belie the militant organisation’s claims.

Social media is abuzz with a video which shows Taliban’s new Education Minister Sheikh Molvi Noorullah Munir questioning the need for higher education.

“No Phd degree, Master’s degree is valuable today. You see that the Mullahs and Taliban that are in the power, have no Phd, MA or even a high school degree, but are the greatest of all,” Sheikh Molvi Noorullah Munir says in the video.

A Twitter user said: “(We are) Back to the stone age! No education is needed!”

Another user said: “Without higher education you are not fit to run a country! It’s like letting someone with no flying experience fly a plane. Would you be comfortable with someone landing a plane you’re on with 0 (years of) experience? Your chances of dying are very high.”

Also read: Taliban announces caretaker govt; Mullah Hasan to be the PM

“Why is this man talking about education,” said one user.

The Talibs have time and again said that “all matters of governance and life in Afghanistan will be regulated by the laws of the Holy Sharia.”

The Talibanis declared a caretaker government on Tuesday (September 7) with acting cabinet ministers retaining top positions.

The Taliban named Mullah Hasan Akhund, an associate of the movement’s late founder Mullah Omar, as head of Afghanistan’s new government and Sirajuddin Haqqani, whose organization is on a U.S. terrorism list, as interior minister.