By Tariq Jahan
This policy brief makes the case that Afghanistan’s religious education system under Taliban rule has been transformed into an instrument of ideological control. Since August 2021, the Emirate has centralized madrassahs, suppressing diversity and repurposing schools, universities, and civic spaces for indoctrination. Unlike the Republic, which struggled to regulate a fragmented system, the Taliban now exercise monopoly power over curricula, staffing, and operations.