Some students at public and private universities in Kandahar have told media outlets that enforcers from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice have expelled dozens of students from classrooms and barred them from sitting exams due to having trimmed or shaved beards.
With semester examinations beginning at universities in Kandahar, students say that inspections of their appearance before or during exams have disrupted the academic process and placed additional pressure on them.
According to the students, those who do not comply with the beard regulations are not permitted to participate in exams. They also report that in some cases, Taliban enforcers take such students away for further questioning.
One student told media: “We are in the middle of exams, but suddenly the enforcers enter the classroom and expel some students. It does not matter to them how many months a student has prepared or what impact missing an exam will have on their future.”
He added that several students have been deprived of exams as a result and have had to retake some subjects or face academic setbacks.
Another student said the issue is not limited to exam days. According to him, before exams begin, the enforcers also visit universities, halt teaching activities, and deliver lengthy speeches that sometimes take more than an hour of instructional time.
Some officials at private universities in Kandahar have also expressed concern about the situation. They say that increasing restrictions have reduced student attendance and discouraged some young people from continuing their education.
One administrative staff member at a private university in Kandahar said: “When the educational environment is accompanied by fear and pressure, it is natural for students to face serious challenges in their academic progress.”
Meanwhile, a resident of Kandahar stated that the strict approach of the morality enforcers is not limited to universities, and that individuals in the city who trim or shave their beards are sometimes also subjected to interrogation or detention.
Students, teachers, and families emphasize that universities should be centers of education, research, and intellectual development. They say the purpose of attending university is to acquire knowledge and professional skills, but that the current conditions have become an obstacle to academic progress.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
