Taliban bans over a million Afghan girls from attending school as the new school year begins.

Afghanistan became the only country in the world to forbid girls from attending school past the sixth grade when the school year began on Wednesday. Over a million girls are affected by this ban, according to the U.N. children’s agency, and five million were already out of school prior to the Taliban’s rule for a variety of reasons.

The Taliban’s education ministry hosted a ceremony to celebrate the start of the new school year, but invited no female journalists, citing inadequate facilities. The focus should be on improving the standard of both religious and modern education, with a preference for Islamic teachings over general education, according to Education Minister Habibullah Agha.

The ministry announced plans to extend education in outlying areas, while Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi urged pupils to dress in accordance with Islamic and Afghan norms. However, because they oppose girls’ education and place restrictions on women’s participation in public life and the workforce, the Taliban’s stringent interpretation of Islamic law continues to impede progress.

Human Rights Watch has denounced the Taliban’s educational efforts as detrimental to both boys and girls, despite the group’s initial claims of moderation. The group cites increasing physical punishment, changes in the curriculum, and falling attendance as negative aspects of education under Taliban administration.