A professor from Kabul tore his diplomas live on television in Afghanistan to protest the Taliban's ban on women from higher education.

Ismail Mashal is the founder of the private Mashal University in Kabul and also teaches at Kabul University. With tears in his eyes and a trembling voice, he tore up his diplomas during an appearance on Tolo News.

"As of today, I don't need these diplomas anymore because there is no place for education in this country. If my sister and my mother can't study, I don't accept this education," he said.

The Taliban announced Dec. 20 that university education for all female students had been suspended. This came after the government banned girls from high school in March of this year.