Taliban militants fighting the Afghan government have allowed schools to reopen and operate in Taliban- held areas in western Herat province, a local newspaper reported Monday. "Taliban have accepted the request of Herat's Provincial Education Department and reopened the schools in their areas besides vowing not to disturb school children, teachers and education department's employees," daily Rah-e-Nejat writes in its edition. Quoting Basir Ahmad Arvin the acting director of education department, Herat province the newspaper added that Taliban had created problems for operating schools in Kushk-e- Kohna, Shindand and Rebat-e-Sangi districts. Taliban militants fighting the Afghan government during their rule, collapsed in late 2001 had outlawed schools for girls and changed the teaching curriculum for boys.