Afghan Teachers Face Job Threats Over Mandatory Beard Pledges

Afghan Teachers Face Job Threats Over Mandatory Beard Pledges
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Afghanistan’s education sector is facing renewed pressure after local authorities in eastern Nangarhar province ordered schoolteachers to sign written pledges committing not to shave their beards. The directive, issued under Taliban rule, carries the threat of dismissal for those who fail to comply, raising concerns among educators about job security and personal freedoms.

According to reports by Afghanistan International, the provincial Department of Education has instructed teachers, staff and students to adhere to what it describes as “Islamic standards.” The circular requires all male teachers to formally pledge to keep their beards, warning that non-compliance will be treated as absence from work, effectively suspending employment until the order is followed.

Teachers in Nangarhar say the measure marks a shift from informal guidance to enforceable policy. Several educators confirmed that the signing of pledges has already begun at schools in Jalalabad, where teachers were told to comply without objection. Many described an atmosphere of anxiety, fearing the loss of their livelihoods if they refuse.

The Taliban-run Ministry of Education has reportedly formed special committees to oversee implementation inside schools. Teachers said they were warned that failure to grow a beard would lead to immediate dismissal, with no clear mechanism for appeal or complaint, deepening fears of arbitrary enforcement.

The policy follows announcements by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which declared in May 2025 that shaving beards constitutes a religious violation. Since then, enforcement teams have increased inspections across several provinces, including Kabul and Khost, and issued warnings to barbers against trimming or styling beards.

Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have introduced sweeping changes to Afghanistan’s education system, affecting curricula, staffing and access to schooling, particularly for girls. Rights groups warn that growing control over personal appearance risks driving qualified teachers out of classrooms, further straining an education system already weakened by economic hardship and prolonged crisis.