Acting Minister of Higher Education Neda Mohammad Nadeem said on Sunday that religious scholars are researching the education of girls and once the process has been completed a decision on whether to reopen universities, or not, will be announced.

Speaking at an event to announce the achievements of the ministry over the past year, Nadeem said that girls’ education is a “sensitive issue” that cannot be resolved in a few weeks or months.

“Research by scholars is ongoing. If, as a result of scholars’ research, it is proved that female education is permissible in this way, it will certainly be allowed. And if the result of the research is that it should remain suspended, it will remain suspended,” he said.

Nadeem stated that if anyone has evidence that girls’ education in this way is permissible according to Hanafi jurisprudence, they can share it with the authorities.

“If someone claims that this type of education is allowed in a certain book, there is no need for the media, come to the ministry and share it with us. I believe that this issue will be resolved,” he said.

Officials of the ministry also stated that in the past one year, 131 educational curriculums, including 89 for bachelor’s level, 35 for master’s level, and 7 for doctoral level, were reviewed and sent to the relevant institutions for approval.

According to them, in the past week year, 11 doctoral programs, 26 master’s programs and 13 new faculties were established in public universities.

They said that last year more than 51,000 students graduated from universities across the country and currently around 190,000 people are studying in public universities.